Are You Feeling More Tired Than Usual Today?

If so, I might know why!Until last month, this has never occurred to me but upon speaking to a colleague (thanks K, you know who you are!) I learned that apparently, it’s common for us all to feel more tired around a full moon.  And of course, tomorrow is a full moon.

This is no hocus pocus, it’s backed by research.  Scientists at Yale have found that three test groups of people showed similar sleep disruption in the days leading up to a full moon. The vast majority of sleep was most disrupted during the three to five days before a full moon – so if you are feeling shattered today it might not be just because it’s a Monday morning!

Those running the Yale study put forward a number of theories as to why these results are seen:

Theory #1: It’s a behaviour from our nomadic days

When we were hunters and gatherers and even in the early days of agriculture, a few days of extra light was extremely valuable. This was time to hunt and fish, plant and harvest. Through evolution, a biological mechanism may have emerged that regulated our sleep to sync with lunar cycles so that we could stay awake and take better advantage of these precious hours of moonlight.

In other words, a vestigial holdover from eons ago might be the cause of those monthly bouts of insomnia. Try as we can to control our environment, we’re still connected to both our ancestors and to the natural world.

Theory #2: Moonlight provides significant light

As a waxing moon progresses toward a full moon, it is high in the sky during the first half of the night. Moonlight during these days is bright enough and occurs early enough to provide light while you’re awake.

But unlike artificial light, moonlight is less disruptive, even when it’s a full moon overhead. While moonlight is bright enough to keep you awake, it’s not enough to wake you up.

Theory #3: Gravity affects how we respond to light

For people who live in big cities with plenty of artificial light, there is another theory: gravity. As a full moon approaches, we experience a gravitational pull that makes us more sensitive to light stimulation. That gravitational tug might have once played a role as a kind of evolutionary caffeine.

So, what do you think?  Could this be true? Have you experienced excess tiredness around the time of a full moon?

Fortunately, the solutions are relatively simple:

• Power down electronic devices at least an hour before you go to bed
• Invest in blackout curtains
• Try having a bath, meditating or doing some deep breathing before you go to bed
• Keep your bedroom nice and cool
• Don’t consume caffeine for six hours before bed
• Do some form of exercise during the day
• Make sure that bedroom truly feels like a relaxing sanctuary

Let me know how you get on!
Anna