Don’t Blame Bad Behavior on the Full Moon

Many parents and teachers swear that children act differently when the moon is full, but new research suggests otherwise. The study tracked more than 5,800 kids across five continents over 28 lunar cycles. While the researchers found that nighttime sleep duration was about five minutes shorter around the time of a full moon compared with the new moon, they found no other significant changes in behavior among any of the children. Researcher Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput notes, “Overall, I think we should not be worried about the full moon. Our behaviors are largely influenced by many other factors like genes, education, income, and psychosocial aspects rather than by gravitational forces.”
Frontiers in Pediatrics, May 2016