When the moon is full, we sleep less…at least that was the common belief without any real science to back it up. Now Swedish researchers have not only quantified it, but they also found a correlation between the lunar cycle and our sleep duration.
According to the study, published in Current Biology, researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Switzerland observed 47 healthy individuals and found that they slept an average of 20 minutes less and took 5 minutes longer to fall asleep during the full moon phase. While more research is needed to determine exactly why this is, the study authors suspect that our brains are more reactive when the moon is full, making it harder to calm down and drift off to sleep.
Which means you might want to start preparing now for the supermoons—when the moon is the closest to the earth and is full to boot—on July 12, August 10, and September 9. Enlist these 10 simple sleep remedies to help you fall asleep. (A full moon isn’t the only sleep saboteur; read about the top 10 sleep thieves and how to thwart them.)
MORE: The 3-Minute Massage That Lengthens Sleep
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