You Can't Blame Your Crazy-Ass Behavior on a Full Moon

Last night’s full moon isn’t the reason you had mind-blowing sex or terrible cramps. It’s not the reason you lost your keys or got a C- on that paper. Those were just occurrences that randomly happened on the same night that there was a full moon. I know, it’s a total bummer, I thought the moon was magic, too.

The study, published in General Hospital Psychiatry journal, found little evidence that lunar cycles were linked to increased LUNAtic behavior. Researchers reviewed medical records for almost 800 patients at two Montreal hospitals over a three-year period. Looking at patients who came to the ER with “unexplained chest pains” because “because people with this complaint often suffer from many psychological difficulties, including panic attacks, anxiety and mood disorders, and suicidal thoughts.”

They also investigated this topic because the research team was already conducting a study on panic attacks and unexplained chest pains. And the emergency department personnel would often make comments, such as “This would be a good night for research because it’s a full moon,” says study researcher William Foldes-Busque, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada. So, experimenters knew some health professionals already had this perception in their heads, but they wanted to see if the idea had any truth to it.

After patients completed a mental health evaluation, scientists then analyzed data to find out if their psychological symptoms revealed any seasonal patterns or lunar phase influence. Researchers were able to determine which one of the moon’s four phases — new moon, first quarter, full moon, or last quarter — was present on the day each patient came to the emergency room.

The study found that the lunar cycle had no influence on the occurrence of psychological problems — with the exception of a 32% drop in the frequency of anxiety disorders during the moon’s last quarter.

The most likely explanation for your weirdo behavior is that you think you’re supposed to act weird during a fool moon. Or, it might be that you just remember the odd behavior more because it happened on a full moon.

Oh well, the moon is still made of cheese and is suspended in the sky via a large string. At least those things are still true.

Impact of seasonal and lunar cycles on psychological symptoms in the ED: an empirical investigation of widely spread beliefs. [NIH]
The full moon doesn’t make you crazy, study confirms [MSN]