Did you notice any changes in your personal sleep patterns (模式)in the days before the full moon?
A new research suggested that a full moon can affect human sleep cycles. The research led by biology professor Horacio Iglesia of Washington University confirmed that the nights leading up to a full moon have more natural light available after the sun goes down. As a result, in the days before a full moon, people go to sleep later in the evening and sleep for shorter periods of time.
Researchers measured the sleep patterns of test participants as the moon ran through at least one whole 29.5-day cycle. On average, the participants slept about 52 minutes less on nights before a full moon. They also went to bed about 30 minutes later. People had the shortest amount of sleep during the nights three to five days before a full moon.
"I was one of the participants. When I looked back on my own data, I could not believe how much my sleep changed." Iglesia said, "The study provided clear evidence that a person's sleep-wake cycle goes with the changes of the moon."
The research also included the effect that access (接通) to electricity has on seep. The study involved 98 individuals living in three different communities (社区)in Argentina. Each community had different access to electricity. One rural community had no electricity access, while a second had only limited access. A third community had full access to electricity. In addition to the indigenous (土著的) communities, the researchers also examined sleep data on 464 college students in Washington and the same moon cycle patterns were discovered. "Although the effect is more obvious in communities without access to electricity, the effect still exists in communities with electricity," Iglesia said.
The scientists say further research is needed to help explain other possible causes for the changes in sleep patterns in the test participants, such as biological differences in individuals or social patterns within communities.
