A neurologist specializing in sleep medicine wrote an article explaining the science behind Moon-related myths and their supposed influence on sleep and mental health. She studies how sleep affects brain health and finds it fascinating that an ancient myth about moonlight and madness might be connected to something more common: people's restless sleep under moonlight.
For generations, people have believed the Moon has the power to cause sleepless nights and strange behaviors, even associating it with madness. The English word "lunacy," meaning madness, derives directly from "luna," meaning Moon in Latin. Professionals such as police officers, hospital staff, and emergency responders often claim their work nights become busier during the full moon.
However, science indicates that reality is more complex than folklore suggests. Research shows that the full moon may modestly affect human sleep, but its influence on mental health and behaviors is far less certain. Several studies demonstrate that people actually sleep differently in the days leading up to the full moon, when moonlight shines most intensely.
