Bad mood, itchy eyes and untimely yawns … Through several studies (including a recent one conducted in Argentina and the United States), science confirms what our ancestors already knew: the full moon does play a role in our sleep pattern, with later bedtime and shorter nights the days before it.
Blame it on the brightness? Maybe, but scientists are also working on the hypothesis of the existence of a circalunar rhythm, much like there is a circadian rhythm on which our body clock works.
For the time being, the existence of this circalunar rhythm has not been proven in humans, but it has been observed in certain marine animals, which sleep lighter during this period in order, perhaps, to be less easy prey for nocturnal predators.
An influence on childbirth?
In 2013, Swiss research published in Current biology was one of the first to show a possible influence of the phases of the moon (which span 29.5 days) on human behavior or physiology (libido, hormone secretion, diseases, psychological variations, physical performance. ..) while this popular belief dates back to antiquity.
In 2020, an Indian publication highlighted these alterations, explaining that they could be due to changes in the lunar gravitational force on the earth’s surface, to changes in the “biological tide” or to alteration of the earth’s electromagnetic field and illumination lunar.
On the other hand, no large-scale study has succeeded in showing, to date, that the full moon triggers childbirth, accidents, influences hair growth or whitens laundry … Astrology enthusiasts agree on the fact that it brings light into the mind, encouraging introspection and focus.
In any case, one thing is certain for all gardeners: if the full moon is clearly visible, it means that the sky is clear, therefore low temperatures … Beware of morning frosts!
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