An Investigation Into Whether Or Not A Full Moon Can Make People Behave In A Weird Way
We all know that the full moon is said to draw out vampires and werewolves. People even point to the full moon as the source of bad luck and bizarre behavior.
Belief in the moon’s power is a time-honored tradition. Since ancient times, physicians and philosophers have blamed the full moon for people’s behavioral changes.
For instance, in the first century A.D., the Roman philosopher Pliny suggested that the full moon creates more dew, leading to increased moisture in the brain, which resulted in madness. Even today, the idea that the full moon causes people to go crazy is a strongly held belief.
According to a paper published in 1987, 80 percent of nurses and 64 percent of doctors believed that the moon influences behavior.
Police officers and hospital staff insist that crime rates skyrocket and emergency rooms are busier during the full moon. However, a 2004 study proved that the claim wasn’t valid.
Additionally, the word “lunatic” comes from the Latin word for moon, “luna,” stemming from the idea that changes in mental state had something to do with lunar cycles.
The possibility that humans could be affected by the moon’s phases isn’t totally without scientific basis.
The ocean’s tides, and even several marine species, are affected by the moon’s cycles, so it makes sense to think that humans could experience a similar effect, especially since our bodies are made mostly of water.
Scientists have studied the link between human behavior and the full moon for decades but haven’t found any evidence that the full moon is associated with more strange events than usual. Here’s what researchers do know.
Patrick – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
In 2012, a team of researchers at Canada’s Université Laval’s School of Psychology decided to test the theory of the connection between mental illness and moon phases.
Between 2005 and 2008, they evaluated 771 patients who visited emergency rooms in two hospitals in Montreal.
The patients reported having chest pains, but doctors couldn’t figure out the cause behind them. Many of the patients had panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, or anxiety/mood disorders.
The researchers analyzed the time of the visits and the phases of the moon for any patterns. They discovered only one connection between psychological problems and the four lunar phases.
Apparently, anxiety disorders were 32 percent less frequent in the last lunar quarter. They noted that the finding may be coincidental. But either way, the moon did not appear to have an effect on human behavior.
Some studies have found that the full moon can affect sleep patterns. One study from 2021 found that people fell asleep later and slept less on the nights before a full moon.
A 2015 study that involved 205 participants showed that the full moon may affect sleep differently in males and females. Many males had more REM sleep when the full moon phase was near, while females had less sleep.
Overall, no evidence exists that the moon’s cycles influence human behaviors, emotions, and health. They don’t cause people to become more violent, aggressive, anxious, or depressed.
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