But not a myth: Poor sleep at full moon

Many people complain of poor sleep during a full moon. A research group of the University of Basel and the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel has looked into this myth and has found that there is a relationship between lunar phases and sleep patterns can prove scientifically. The research results were published in the journal "Current Biology".

The group led by Prof. Christian Cajochen analyzed in the sleep lab sleep of over 30 subjects of different ages. While they slept, the researchers measured the brain waves, eye movements and hormone levels in the various stages of sleep. It turned out that our internal clock still responds to the rhythm of the moon.

Short and show poor sleep at full moon The results indicate that both the objective and the subjective perception of sleep quality changes with the lunar phases. At full moon, the activity fell within the areas of the brain that are associated with deep sleep associated to 30 percent. In addition, the subjects took in an average of five minutes longer to fall asleep and slept less 20 minutes long. The subjects reported poorer sleep at full moon, and showed lower melatonin levels, a hormone that regulates our sleep and wake phases. "This is the first reliable evidence that the lunar cycle can affect the structure of sleep in humans," write the researchers Basler.

Relics of times

According Cajochen could this so-called «circa lunar rhythm" a relic of past times be when the moon may have altered many of our behaviors. Many animals, especially in marine life, the influence of moonlight on mating is about well documented. Nowadays usually outshine other influences of modern life such as electric light the influence of the moon on humans. The study shows that this is visible and measurable in a controlled environment, such as the sleep laboratory.

original article

Christian Cajochen, Songul Altanay-Ekici, Mirjam Münch, Sylvia Frey, Vera garlic, and Anna Wirz-Justice Evidence did the Lunar Cycle Influences Human Sleep Current Biology, July 05, 2013 issue | doi: 10.1016 / j.cub.2013.06.029

Source: Basel [UPKBS]