You’ve probably heard that the Moon affects the ocean’s tides, and there’s also a long-held theory (still being researched by scientists) that our periods sync with the lunar cycle. Among the many tales told about that big orb in the sky, it’s said that a Full Moon can change people’s moods, making them feel slightly off-balance and causing them to behave erratically. Anecdotally, you’ll find hundreds of accounts of weird goings-on at this time. My dad – who is a massive sceptic about these things – works night shifts at a train station, and says that people are consistently more violent and out of sorts when the Moon is at its fullest. Astrologers also believe this period represents a peak of energy, with different months having different spiritual connotations. June’s, for example, is known as a Strawberry Moon, and is said to encourage expressions of love, purity, and prosperity.
But it turns out it’s not just stories and divination; there is a real correlation between Full Moons and strange behaviour. As far back as the ancient Greeks, many were of the opinion that the Moon played a big part in our lives. Aristotle hypothesised it was responsible for epilepsy and mental illness, and this was a common belief for centuries, with people up until 1700 thinking that the extra light from the Full Moon would leave people sleep deprived, causing them to act oddly as a result. Even after this time, well-respected medics were convinced that certain illnesses were exacerbated by the Moon’s cycles. In fact, the word lunatic even derives from the Latin lunaticus, meaning ‘of the moon’ or ‘moonstruck’.
In this day and age, though, we’re all about science, requiring incontrovertible empirical evidence to prove how Earth’s natural satellite screws its inhabitants up – and there’s plenty of it. An entry in the Journal of Criminal Psychology looked at incidences of crime during different lunar phases, finding that incidences of homicides and aggravated assaults spiked massively during a Full Moon. Sleep is affected too, as proven by a 2013 study which recorded ‘lower sleep quality… less deep slow-wave sleep… and lower evening melatonin levels 0–4 days around the Full Moon compared to the other lunar classes.’ This was even when other factors (such as light and biases about lunar phases) were removed. Additionally, psychiatrist Thomas Wehr spent many years studying patients with bipolar and concluded that their mood swings directly correlate with the moon.
There’s a lot of conflicting information in the scientific community, with results often being hard to replicate and therefore prove definitively. Even studies showing clear links between us and that big lad that comes out each night have had to stop short of explaining the underlying reasons behind how the Moon can change our moods. Some have come to the conclusion that it’s down to the light, but this is often disputed given how much light pollution we already deal with in the modern world. And while others put it down to gravitational pull and magnetic fields (after all, the Moon controls the seas and we’re mostly made of water) again there’s no evidence to prove this.
There are plenty of things in this world it’s difficult to explain, but if you’re out tonight and see people fighting outside McDonald’s or falling out of taxis, you can probably blame it on the (full) moonlight. As well as a Strawberry Full Moon on June 21, 2024, this year’s summer solstice falls the day before. What does the week have in store?
The longest day of the year, it started as one of eight Celtic celebrations of the seasons, marking the turning point between lighter and darker days. Back then, fires would be lit across hilltops, people stayed up all night in order to watch the sunrise, and carnivals with dancing and candlelit processions were held. According to astrologer Kerry King: ‘Spiritually, this festival is about achievement and attainment, celebrating all that you have sown and reaped, having reached a peak and feeling abundant with what you’ve got in life.’
Although solstices themselves don’t directly affect the human body, changes in daylight and temperature can impact everything from our mental health to our vitamin D levels. Due to the increased sunlight, you might find you wake up with more energy, or that your sleep pattern is better regulated. Catching some rays could also boost your mood and give you a dose of summertime positivity – just make sure not to negate these benefits by forgetting your sunscreen.
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