Asger Risom
For centuries, people have believed that full moons disturb sleep — and science now shows they might be right, though your smartphone is still the bigger culprit.
For centuries, people have believed that full moons disturb sleep — and science now shows they might be right, though your smartphone is still the bigger culprit.
The myth that won’t die
Many people insist they sleep worse during a full moon, but proving it scientifically has been surprisingly tricky.
When belief keeps you awake
Sleep expert Stephen Carstensen says that expecting to feel restless under a full moon can, by itself, cause people to sleep poorly.
Evidence from Switzerland
A 2013 study found participants slept 20 minutes less and had lower deep-sleep activity during full moons, even though they didn’t know what was being tested.
Hormones and moonlight
Researchers also noted reduced melatonin — the hormone that signals it’s time to rest — suggesting that moonlight may subtly delay sleep.
Conflicting findings
Other research found that men lost more sleep than women during full moons, while a Hungarian study reported the opposite pattern.
The problem with lab studies
Most of these experiments took place in sleep labs, where bright equipment and observation can already make falling asleep harder.
A real-world test
To eliminate that bias, University of Washington scientists tracked people in Argentina and the US using wearable sleep monitors.
The same lunar pattern
Participants across rural, urban, and even electricity-free communities slept less and fell asleep later in the days before a full moon.
An ancient adaptation
Researchers suspect our ancestors stayed awake longer under bright moonlight to hunt or socialize — a rhythm that may still linger today.
The real modern disruptor
Experts agree that city lighting and glowing screens now affect sleep far more than any phase of the moon ever could.
Put the blame where it belongs
If the moon can shorten your sleep by an hour, says psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, the phone in your hand at midnight can do much worse.
This article is made and published by Asger Risom, who may have used AI in the preparation
