“Human Sleep and Cortical Reactivity Are Influenced by Lunar Phase”, 2014-06-16 (; backlinks; similar):
Various human biological functions adhere to a circadian rhythm that to some extent may be affected by environmental factors, including light and temperature.
Recent evidence from Cajochen et al indicates that human sleep is influenced by the cycle of the moon, measured in conditions precluding the potential impact of nocturnal lunar illumination.
Here in a similarly retrospective study of 47 healthy volunteers (mean age 23.3, S.D. ±2.9 years) we demonstrate that total sleep time decreases by 25 minutes and cortical reactivity to environmental stimuli during sleep increases around full moon, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency lengthens by 30 minutes around new moon.
The findings strengthen the notion that human sleep is modulated by lunar phase but point to important deviations from the study of Cajochen et al that need to be addressed, particularly with regard to individual susceptibility.