How the Moon Affects Behavior and Health

28. Lunacy You’ve heard the word lunatic before, right? The terms lunatic and lunacy come from the Latin word for Moon, which is luna. Ancient philosophers… Trista - August 26, 2019

28. Lunacy

You’ve heard the word lunatic before, right? The terms lunatic and lunacy come from the Latin word for Moon, which is luna. Ancient philosophers like Aristotle and Pliny the Elder hypothesized that the full Moon could induce insanity in specific individuals. While it may seem ridiculous, their theory was based in science.

These philosophers believed that the Moon’s power over tides could affect the brain. Because the brain is made of mostly water, the lunar effect could cause psychosis. Even in modern times, people claim that there is an increase in hospital visits, homicide, traffic accidents, and other unfortunate occurrences during a Full Moon.

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29. The Moon and Your Health

Quite a few people believe that the faces of the Moon can affect your health. Especially during a full Moon, people, animals, and even plants can display changes in their behavior. The reasoning behind this is in the gravitational connection between the Earth and the Moon.

Sea tides are caused by the Earth and Moon’s gravitational pull. Could this gravitational attraction be the reason for unusual behavior in those of us on Earth? While there have been no definitive studies done on the effect of the Moon’s cycle on people, there are many examples of the Moon having a part in certain human behaviors. There are many examples of the Moon having a part in certain human behaviors. It’s up to you to decide if you believe that the Moon has that much power over us.

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30. Menstrual Cycle

Many people have referred to the menstrual cycles as “Moon cycles.” Since ancient times there has been a strong belief that the phases of the Moon synchronize with female menstruation. There are even websites and smartphone apps that can help you track your Moon cycle.

The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, which is almost as long as they move cycle. That means that one revolution of the Moon around the Earth is roughly equivalent to one menstrual cycle. Some small studies have been done about this phenomenon, and they suggest that a woman’s period coincides with the late phase that leads up to a Full Moon.

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31. Ovulation

In addition to menstruation, many believe that a woman’s ovulation cycle relates to the phases of the Moon. There is a theory that hormone levels rise during a particular Moon phase. Because of that, it can be thought that a woman is more likely to get pregnant during a Full Moon.

A recent study found that women who were ovulating at the same time as a Full Moon and got pregnant during a Full Moon had a higher chance of giving birth to a male child. This study also found that women who conceived before a Full Moon most likely were going to give birth to a female child. Keep in mind that it’s unlikely that most periods will sync with a particular Moon phase, especially when many women have irregular menstrual cycles.

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32. Emotions

During a Full Moon a person’s strongest qualities are enhanced. We all have light and dark inside of us, and a Full Moon brings each of those sides out. During this phase, all of our emotions, good and bad, or magnified.

People with headstrong personalities may get easily agitated during a Full Moon. The Full Moon also makes us feel our emotions more intensely. Those who usually are very emotional may become overwhelmed during a Full Moon because their emotions are on overdrive. On the other hand, this emotional intensity can lead to you having a dramatic boost in energy.

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33. Mental Health

A common theme about a Full Moon is that it makes people more angry and aggressive than they are for most of the month. Urban legends claim that werewolves are incited by the Full Moon. Although there is no scientific evidence that a Full Moon causes mental health problems, research shows that psychiatric facilities admit more patients during a Full Moon.

Many scientists have concluded that people like to think a Full Moon causes mental disturbances because they want to believe that there is a higher power causing certain behaviors. People who are affected by psychological conditions like bipolar disorder have noted changes in their behavior during a Full Moon. This could be because a Full Moon will illuminate the sky and potentially disrupt sleep patterns.

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34. Sleep

Speaking of sleep, a Full Moon can contribute to a night of unrest during its phase. During a Full Moon, you may find yourself tossing and turning. Studies have shown that people tend to sleep less and have a poor quality of sleep during a full Moon. It can also take them longer to fall asleep when the Moon is full.

Because a Full Moon is so bright, the light may result in decreased melatonin levels. This can make a person’s sleep signals ineffective. If you have issues with insomnia, be sure to wear a sleep mask during a Full Moon in order to get a good night’s rest. You can also find blackout curtains to cover your windows that won’t let glowing Moonlight in at night.

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35. Heart

Did you know that the Moon’s cycles can affect your heart? During a Full Moon, the heart pumps at its peak performance. So you may notice a difference when you hit the gym during a Full Moon!

Additionally, the rate of heart attacks has been reported to have gone down during a Full Moon. Interestingly, a significant reduction in heart attacks occurs in the three days following a New Moon. Experts theorize that the heart operates best when the Moon is aligned with the Sun and has a strong gravitational pull. That’s why exercise may be more effective during a Full Moon.

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36. Brain

As we mentioned before, experts believe that the brain is influenced by the Moons power over tides. Our brains are mostly made of water and gravity on the Moon could potential he affect the movement of water in the brain. Because of this, people with brain disorders could experience an increase in the intensity of their conditions.

On the other hand, people who have epilepsy may see a decrease in seizures. Research shows that the brightness of the Moon can lead to fewer epileptic episodes. Because the brightness of a Full Moon inhibits the release of melatonin, that will reduce the number of seizures someone with epilepsy may experience.

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37. Kidneys

Along with the brain, other organs may be affected by a Full Moon. Urologists have found that pain caused by kidney stones increase significantly during a Full Moon. Other studies have shown that more patients with urological issues are admitted to the hospital more frequently during a Full Moon phase.

On the other hand, people with kidney issues can see their conditions calm down during a New Moon. Our kidneys contain about 60% water, which is why the Moon may have an effect over them. As the Moon and its gravitational pull affect the tides on Earth, they can also affect kidney calmness and pain.

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38. Blood Flow

If the Moon’s gravitational pull can affect our brains and kidneys, it’s a no brainer that fluids that flow through our body would also be affected. Brain chemicals, mucus, and blood can all be impacted by a Full Moon. A recent study shows that the rate of gastrointestinal bleeding may significantly increase during a Full Moon.

Conversely, during a Full Moon, researchers have found that surgeries are more successful and result in less bleeding. Patients who have surgery during a Full Moon are 79% less likely to die than those who have surgery during a New Moon. Surgeries during a Full Moon typically result in a shorter hospital stay.

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39. Increased Injuries

If you are clumsy and prone to accidents, be extra careful during a Full Moon. Emergency calls tend to go up during a Full Moon. The Full Moon phase will see an increase of about 3 percent in emergency calls. During a New Moon, that rate will drop by roughly 6 percent.

Researchers discovered a link between medically unexplained symptoms and the lunar cycle. During a Full Moon, patients will be admitted to the hospital with various types of pain. They will complain of numbness, coordination problems, and headaches, but doctors will not be able to find any physical issues.

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40. Increased Birth Rate

Since many people believe that the lunar cycle relates to a woman’s menstrual cycle, it would make sense that the birth rate could be tied to the phases of the Moon. Researchers in Japan found that there was a substantial increase in births during a Full Moon. Even though it could be scientifically difficult to prove this, this theory may help women trying to conceive be successful.

It is believed that a Full Moon can boost fertility because of how the Moon and Earth align during this phase. As the gravitational pull of the Moon and Earth are strongest during a Full Moon, that could potentially lead to an increase in births. An Italian study found that a higher number of babies were born within two days following a Full Moon.

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