Full Moons Can Mess With Sleep: 3 Ways To Snooze Through The Last One Of 2020
mindbodygreen Editorial AssistantBy Sarah Regan
Image by iStockDecember 27, 2020 — 10:05 AMShare on:
Ever had trouble sleeping on the night of a full moon? You wouldn’t be alone—and coming up on the 29th, we’ve got the last full moon of 2020.
From racing thoughts to buzzing energy, here’s how your sleep can be affected by this special moon, plus what to do about it.
Do full moons mess with sleep?
While the research is minimal, there have been a handful of studies suggesting humans’ sleep patterns are affected by the moon.
In one 2013 study, researchers found that around the full moon, participants showed a 30% decrease on average of EEG-delta activity (which is associated with deep sleep). It also took participants longer to fall asleep, and they reported reduced sleep quality.
In another 2014 study, the full moon was associated with lower sleep efficiency and less deep sleep, and it took participants longer to get into REM sleep.
And not for nothing, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that people have trouble sleeping around the full moon as well.
More research is needed before we know for certain, but one theory is that the moon messes with sleep because it affects our circadian clocks.ADVERTISEMENT
How to snooze through this one.
So, if the full moon has you feeling a bit wired, what can you do? Any (or all) of these three tips might just do the trick to help you sleep through the lunar commotion:
1. Take a magnesium supplement.
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A magnesium supplement, such as mbg’s magnesium+, can be a great addition to your nighttime routine—whether or not it’s a full moon night. Not only can magnesium help support a steady state of relaxation for deep and restorative sleep, but our formula also includes jujube and pharmaGABA, to help support healthy cortisol levels and enhance sleep quality.*
2. Take a moon bath.
Another way to relax on the night of the full moon, according to mbg’s resident astrologers the AstroTwins, is to partake in a full moon bath.
A soothing dip in the tub that also doubles as a full moon ritual, a bath is a great way to connect with lunar energy by submerging yourself in water. “You can say your full moon intentions aloud while you’re relaxing in the tub as you imagine the full moon restoring every cell of your body,” the twins previously told mbg.
3. Try a full moon meditation before bed.
After you’re done in the tub (or hey, even while you’re in it!), a calming meditation can be the last thing you do before you turn in. Here’s how to do a full moon meditation, according to the AstroTwins:
- Sit comfortably in a space where the moonlight is visible.
- Close your eyes and feel the moon’s beams fill the room and your body.
- Focus on your breath and the intention you’ve set.
- Imagine the moonlight enveloping and purifying your body, mind, and spirit.
- Slowly bring your attention back to the room and open your eyes.
- Repeat as many times as you’d like in the three to five hours before or after the full moon.
The full moon is a potent time, and all that energy can definitely make it hard for us to settle down at night. But with a few relaxing tricks up our sleeve and a full moon ritual or two, we can still get our eight hours—and soak in the full moon’s powerful energy for the last time this year.
Sarah Reganmindbodygreen Editorial AssistantSarah Regan is a writer, registered yoga instructor, and Editorial Assistant at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor’s in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego,
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