Does the Full Moon Affect Your Mood and Mental Health?

The moon’s too close to the earth

I might not sleep the night

I might be sucked into my emotional spiral

If my mood permits, I might sing and dance my heart out

The moon’s too close to the earth; watch out!

-Ara

mywingedwords

Notice that I have used the word ‘might’ and not may in the poem I penned as a special introduction to this article.

My eldest aunt is spiritual. She meditates and believes that it helps reduce karma, enhances overall well being, and so on. As for me, I have experienced a few benefits of meditation first-hand and so will endorse it. But I have only touched the surface and not dived deep into it, so I cannot support anything other than what I have experienced.

But the hero of this article is not meditation - well, it plays a vital role. For the most part, the hero of the article is the full moon and its impact on the human mind.

The full moon and your underlying state of mind

On the last full moon, I took part in a group meditation. I noticed that my mind was unusually disturbed. Not that I successfully think of ‘nothing’ every time I sit to meditate. But I try and discipline my wandering mind. Sometimes I am successful throughout the session and other times, it is just for a few minutes, which is still something.

But that day was very different. I had meditated on the full moon even before but hadn't noticed such disturbance in my mind. When I shared this with my aunt, she said, “The full moon affects your moods. That is why your emotional/mental state was amplified.” She continued, “That is also why there’s increased aggression in the patients at the mental hospitals. “Wow”, I said to myself, "What should I make of this?”

And true, I was stressed that day, so maybe the full moon only amplified it. But I wasn’t stressed to an extent where meditation stressed me and didn’t calm me down.

So I set out to research more on this - does the full moon really affect your mood and mind? But before that, here’s a fun fact I learned as recently as today.

Full moon - the what, the why, and the how

Did you know that the moon doesn’t have a light of its own? This is why a full moon happens every month - the sun's rays fall on the moon’s surface and illuminate it, making it a full moon.

But the full moon doesn’t last for the entire night. It only lasts for a moment when the moon is directly opposite the sun. However, the energy of a full moon lasts for days before and after the lunation. This is why it is said that you can reap maximum benefits when you meditate on the full moon, a day before and a day after.

Age-old belief

It might sound bizarre - the idea of the full moon controlling your behaviour and mind. But it is believed that it can stir up your emotions and provoke you to behave oddly. Some also believe that the full moon can cause physical and mental illness. It’s a belief, so it might appeal to you if you have experienced the effects first-hand or at least witnessed it closely.

But if you don’t belong to either of these categories, this might sound superstitious to you. In any case, I suggest you read on to decide for yourself.

Luna and lunatic

The term “Lunatic” is derived from the Latin word ”Luna”,

which means the moon. And this term was coined mainly because for centuries now, people have believed that humans are prone to periodic insanity depending on the lunar cycle. In fact, back in 400 B.C., physicians and philosophers blamed the moon’s gravitational pull for behavioural changes in man.

The full moon and the water

It is not a new-found truth that the ocean’s tides rise and fall in line with the moon's phases. Even the reproductive cycles of various marine species like several fishes, reef corals, and sea worms are more or less timed to lunar cycles. The reason it is advised to stay away from water bodies on the full moon as their gravitational pull causes high tides in the sea.

Full moon and the human body

Approximately 70% of the human body is made up of water. So it is interesting to know how the gravitational pull of the full moon affects the fluids in our bodies. Let’s try to analyse it. Some studies have shown differences in cardiovascular conditions during this time.

Full moon and sleep

Some studies have shown that the brightness of a full moon affects your sleep quality. It may be associated with increased REM (rapid eye movement) latency and reduced deep sleep.

The moon and women’s menstrual cycles

The moon takes roughly a month to orbit the Earth. Since a woman’s menstrual cycle is about the same length, a connection has been drawn between the full moon and its effect on her moods. As a woman myself, I agree with this uncanny fact.

Pets and the full moon

While some studies show no correlation between the full moon and the human body and mind, research shows that the full moon influences animals. Colorado State Veterinary Medical Center researchers observed a 23% higher visit to the emergency room for cats and a 28% for dogs on the full moon day. 11,940 cases were studied.

Full moon, mood, and mental health

Reiterating this - it has been believed that the full moon causes increased aggression, violence, trauma, and suicide for centuries. In fact, medical professionals have reported increased injuries on a full moon. English lawyers have used the full moon as a defence for the bad behaviour of the accused.

Scientific studies about the full moon and mental health

Some studies have found a connection between the phases of the moon and the behavioural changes in people with bipolar disorder and other existing mental conditions.

Full moon and spirituality

The moon is significant in both religious and spiritual practices, which is why its movements are considered when celebrating a festival or even meditating. In India, it has been an age-old belief that the full moon affects the water. In Buddhism, the full moon is believed to be a time for spiritual reflection.

Why meditate on the full moon?

As per Sri Sri Ravishankar of The Art of Living, meditating on a full moon is good as it helps counter its effects. Besides, there’s another interesting take on the subject.

The new moon is considered a time to set new intentions for the future. On the other hand, the full moon is a time of fruition. The new moon gathers light over two weeks to become the full moon.

From dark, it manifests to light up. Therefore, the full moon is considered to be the energetic and spiritual pinnacle of what you started. And as the full moon’s light begins to wash away, it is time to release the unwanted or that which is not working for us.

The final verdict

As curious and excited as I am about the spiritual realm, dimensions, and significance, I still cannot conclude that the full moon affects our moods. Maybe I need to observe my mind while meditating on a few more full moons, and only then I can draw a conclusion.

It may be possible that people expect erratic behaviour around the full moon, which is why they see more of them. That’s what happens; you see what you want to see.

But then, I can’t dismiss the fact that the full moon affects the human mind altogether. One, because it does affect animals. Hello, remember Werewolves? (I am highly fascinated by them. I drool over wolves and the similar-looking huskies. And so it intrigues and interests me). On a serious note, we are animals too.

Notably, my aunt also said, “If you are happy or joyous on a full moon, your happiness multiples.” So the same goes for when you are under stress - you might just become a wreck of a thing. And although my aunt is well-read; I am not going by her words alone.

Studies have suggested that the full moon affects people differently. So it is safe to say that if it affects you in a certain way, it might not affect others in the same way. So does this also mean that the full moon can affect an individual in different ways?

I hope this was an interesting read and that it has given you something to think about. While the studies are still on, I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.