Does the Full Moon Affect Your Body?

Ask any teacher if the moon impacts how people act, and you’ll get a quick “Yes!”

In fact, one teacher I know says a full moon makes people act crazy. She says the effect is even worse on the parents than the kids she teaches.

Nurses will tell you much the same thing. They say more patients go into labor, and that patients with mood disorders’ symptoms get worse.

How much of this is true?

It’s hard to say. Many cultures and religions believe that the waxing and waning moon affects the fluids in or bodies.

They also believe that we become more or less creative with a full moon.

Scientific studies have provided conflicting answers but I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Let’s take a look at what we know the moon does to us, and how we can prepare and react to it.

6 Ways the Moon Affects Your Body

1. Women’s period may be tied to the lunar cycle.

According to a study conducted in 2011, there is a strong link between a woman’s 28-day menstrual cycle and the moon.

They found that almost 30% of the 826 women they studied had their periods on or around the full moon.

This represented a big jump from the next highest group of women and the association between another lunar phase.

2. Male hormone levels may also rise and fall with the moon’s cycles.

This can make men grumpy and prone to anger, mood swings, frustration, sadness and anxiety.

3. Some studies have shown that body fluid and basal body temperature is impacted by the moon’s cycles.

This theory makes sense when you consider that humans are 70% water and could be affected by the moon's tidal pull

This can have an impact on fertility and the ability to conceive.

4. A Japanese study showed that the closer the moon is to the Earth, the more babies are born. 

The study followed 1,000 women whose labor was not induced. This study tracked the effect of a “supermoon” – when the Earth and its moon are closer than at any other time.

The same effect was not found from a normal full moon.

5. The moon has a strong effect on sleep.

It takes much longer for people to fall asleep when the moon is full than at other times during the lunar phase.

Some people believe that this is simply because the sky is brighter.

But studies have shown that during the full moon we have lower levels of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone.

Less sleep can have a profound impact in many ways. It affects our mood and our energy levels, as well as our ability to think clearly and remember well.

6. In India, many believe that eating certain foods in sync with the moon’s cycles can help you to detoxify your body.

This is based on the belief that the moon’s pull impacts the fluids in our bodies.

They suggest a 24-hour fast during the full moon, drinking only water, green tea and fresh fruit juices.

This is said to help flush out toxins.

Others encourage what is known as “moon eating”, which promotes eating organic, unprocessed foods timed to the phases of the moon. Moon eating is said to provide a sense of well-being based on mindful eating.

Many people believe that by syncing their lives with the moon’s cycles they are able to live in a more natural and connected way.

Want to try it?

Check out this guide to Moon phases and how to plan around them:

• New Moon – The best time to get creative. Start a new project. Make a list of things to do. If you find you have low energy levels during the New Moon, some have found that fasting on water and lemon helps.
• Crescent Moon – This is a high energy time, and the best time to bring new things into your life. Attack ongoing projects and take advantage of increased intention and focus.
• First Quarter – Your power is growing during this moon phase, so create an action plan to take advantage of it.
• Gibbous Moon – This is the time to focus on creative visualization. Focus on what you want in your life. Take the time to help others.
• Full Moon – This is the time for reflection. Look at your New Moon list and see whether you’ve accomplished what you planned. Be grateful for what you’ve received. The Full Moon is also an excellent time to make important decisions and review what in your life needs to be changed.
• Disseminating Moon – This is the time to let go of things that are hurting you or that no longer provide you with a benefit, including old relationships and habits.

More research is needed, but these theories are worth exploring in your own life to draw your own conclusions.

Yours in health and happiness,

Danette

P.S. Help me get the word out about how the moon cycle can affect our bodies by sharing this with your friends and I welcome your comments below. Do you notice changes in yourself or others during a full moon?