Do you get overwhelmed with the desire to go outside and howl at the moon when it is full? I never get that feeling but still like to joke around and do it anyway. When I was a little girl, the werewolf scared me more than Count Dracula, Frankenstein or any other monsters. Those creepy gypsies in the movies had this little girl believing that those who bare the mark of the werewolf will change into the beast at the light of the full moon. Needless to say, on those nights I never got much sleep. The only werewolf that didn’t scare me was Quentin Collins from the late sixties soap, Dark Shadows. I soon realized that the stories of the werewolf were just urban legends made up to scare its audience. It worked on me. Does the full moon have an effect on human behavior besides someone turning hairy, growing fangs and running on all fours?Some researchers feel that there is a connection between the moon’s cycles and the deviant manners of human and animal behavior. The theory is that the full moon is linked to crime, suicide, mental illness, disasters, accidents, birthrates, fertility, strange weather, an increase in animal bites and even the elusive werewolf. There are some reports of the mentally ill patients showing signs of deterioration during a full moon, while others show an increase in seizures and bleeding ulcers. Many hospitals have been known to add more staff in the maternity ward on the nights of a full moon. My daughter is due to give birth next month, a day before a full moon, with my first grandchild. I have been joking around with her saying that she will probably go into labor on the night of the full moon because I heard that there is a high rate of births during that time. The theory is that the barometric pressure caused by the full moon has an effect on a woman’s ammonic sac causing it to expand and the woman to go into labor. At least that is what I read on some websites. They also say that women who have had more than one child are likely to give birth on a full moon night. This is her first so we shall see. My grand-daughter will come when she is ready, full moon or no full moon.
Is there a connection between the full moon human behaviors? All of the theories and connections are not shared by scientific evidence. Many studies have been conducted and proven that there is no significant correlation between the full moon and human or animal behavior. These studies were taken all over the world, in many places, during a full moon with no unusual results or changes in behavior.
Are the full moon effects real, or is it just folklore about the lunacy brought on by the many stories of werewolves and other unusual behavior told by believers? Whatever the truth may be, many still believe that the full moon does have a connection to mental and physical abilities even to this day. I was just curious.....
--Julie--
I always feel the full moon does something to some people. It always has, very good article.
ReplyDeleteGood question. The full moon to me is kind a sacred time, but I did work in an ER and saw a definite increase on those nights. I'm pretty logic minded (which conflicts all the time with my creative side), but I have to admit that the full moon is nothing more than what we see depending on the positioning of the sun. The moon doesn't change, only the amount of light it gives off inadvertantly to us changes. So, technically the full moon can't do diddly squat. But, it was definitely an issue in less modern times when a full moon and a clear sky ensured a good stagecoach robbery. The full moon only allows us to see more at night and sometimes illuminates our bedrooms so it is harder to sleep (we must have complete darkness to rest fully). So, a full moon would see more bad behaviors because that's the time when all those who mean to do naughty things will have light to get their deeds done at night. It's also more likely that upon having something bad happen, a person might look up at the moon and take note that it's full and tie the two events together. The ER was more crowded on full moon nights, but that was really just because people are more apt to go out and about at night--the time to get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think there is a connection -but I know people have been yelling at each other a long time over the evidence-best to you as always!!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate all your comments, you are all insightful as always. Since my daughter is due to have her baby near the time of a full moon, I wanted to see if there was any truth for the high rate of births during that time. Apparently not but it was fun researching it anyway......Jules
ReplyDeleteGiven the moon has an effect on the ocean tides and the earth's spin, I don't see why it wouldn't also have an effect on you and me. We're all part of the same universal bubble afterall.
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to know what ER rooms report during the new moon.
It makes perfect sense that the moon cycles affect human and animal behavior. Certainly if the tides are moved, we are too.
ReplyDeleteI remember, years ago, when I set up my birth control pill cycle to correlate with the full moon (culmination of my mense on or about the full moon). I never felt better!
~ Susan