Maybe Teen Wolf had a point about the full moon
If you’re feeling a little out of sorts lately, then the full moon may be to blame.
Research reveals how the full moon can exacerbate tension, amplify negative emotions, and lower your ability to tolerate your partner.
According to hormone health expert Mike Kocsis at Balance My Hormones, the full moon can cause a shift in your hormones, which could impact your relationships.
Your sleep is also impacted, even when unnoticed:
“Even if the bright light of the full moon doesn’t wake you up, it can cause a chain reaction throughout your body and your hormones; cortisol rises, serotonin becomes dysregulated, and oxytocin can decrease – and this can lead to problems,” Kocsis said.
“Levels of melatonin, the sleep hormone, can dip during a full moon, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.”
So, how exactly does it affect your hormones?
Kocsis describes its impact as a ‘domino effect’.
It affects your cortisol, serotonin, oxytocin, oestrogen and testosterone levels.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is reportedly heightened during a full moon compared to a new moon.
“High cortisol levels are your body’s way of letting you know you don’t feel safe, that you’re in a state of emotional distress, and maybe it’s time to break up,” says Kocsis.
Serotonin oversees your mood, sleep, and emotional balance.
It’s what keeps you feeling calm and steady.
But as this lunar cycle affects your sleep, your serotonin levels fall:
“During a full moon, poor sleep can cause serotonin levels to dip, and this can make you feel more sensitive and tearful, more easily overwhelmed by disagreements and conflict, and less capable of thinking rationally during moments of high emotion.”
Oxytocin, the love hormone, the “emotional glue that keeps couples connected,” Kocsis adds, is important for empathy, social bonding, and intimacy.
When cortisol levels are high and you’re stressed, it causes oxytocin production to decrease:
“This can make you feel less connected to your partner and make you withdraw emotionally – and this can trigger resentment and insecurity in the relationship, especially if the connection is already strained.”
The full moon can also unbalance your oestrogen and testosterone levels.
Oestrogen helps to regulate sleep, mood and body temperature.
When changes happen, perhaps caused by the full moon, symptoms of insomnia and mood swings worsen, potentially making you more irritated.
According to Kocsis, studies have shown that testosterone levels can decrease during this lunar phase.
This hormone plays a role in your mood and libido.
When testosterone levels are lower, it can amplify feelings of fatigue, mood swings and cause a decreased sexual desire.
So what can you do to ‘Full Moon-proof’ your relationship?
Mike Kocsis suggests:
- Communication
- Have a bedtime routine – make an effort to have a good sleep schedule
- Manage your stress – cortisol levels rise, so try out stress-reducing exercises
- Adjust your expectations – try to be more patient with yourself and your partner
- To reframe and reconnect – reframe seeing the full moon as a time for introspection and heightened awareness
