Can't sleep during full moon: Imagination or not?
Are you one of the people who sleep worse on a full moon? You are not alone with this! Moon phases are often cited as triggers for sleepless or restless nights. But can this be or is it a classic myth? Even researchers are in disagreement. What speaks for and against the influence of the moon on sleep and what you can do to improve sleep on full moon nights, you will learn now.
27 October 2023 • 3 min reading time
Say goodbye to bad sleep during the full moon - tips and tricks for restful nights!
Whether and how the full moon influences sleep has already been researched in several studies. However, the results of these studies are so varied that no clear trend can be derived. The latest study by the Charité hospital in Berlin was able to establish correlations – even though the test subjects in the sleep laboratory always slept under the same lighting conditions.
In 2013, the chronobiologist Prof. C. Cajochen conducted a study under these conditions. And indeed: He, too, was able to detect a lower melatonin level and shorter sleep at full moon in 33 test subjects. However, a study by the Max Planck Institute with more than 300 test subjects refuted this study the following year. Thus, a connection between full moon and poor sleep can neither be substantiated nor clearly confirmed.
Whether it’s imagination or not: Anyone who sleeps badly should do something about it. When the moon is full, the most obvious tip is to completely darken the bedroom. Because around full moon nights, the big moon can brightly illuminate your bedroom as soon as it shines directly through the window. In addition to roller shutters, blackout curtains or, even better, a sleeping mask are suitable for this purpose. It ensures absolute darkness and can also positively influence sleep behaviour in other ways.
Apart from the brightness caused by the full moon, the psyche can also cause sleeplessness on full moon nights. Because those who believe that they sleep worse at full moon are also more inclined to follow the phases of the moon – be it through lunar calendars or regular glances at the night sky. We therefore recommend that you pay less attention to the moon and don’t even remember when the next full moon will be. This way, you can prevent the classic placebo effect from playing tricks on you.
As already mentioned, the psyche plays a big role when people notice or believe they recognise certain symptoms in themselves. It’s not only the unconscious preparation for insomnia that causes poorer sleep on full moon nights. It’s also in our nature to notice the sleep disturbances more when they occur during certain events. So, although sleep disorders are also an issue in other ways, on sleepless full moon nights we look for the explanation in the moon.
Researchers agree, however, that today’s lifestyle is more responsible for poor sleep. In addition to constant media exposure, this also includes everyday stress, lack of recreational breaks, too little fresh air, and chronic lack of exercise. So those who like to blame their poor sleep on the full moon should consider whether these restless nights really occur exclusively at full moon or also at other times of the month. If the latter is the case, take a look at our valuable tips for a restful sleep!
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