How the moon's phases shape when and how long people sleep
Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Sleep by The Lunar Month
This project looks at how the moon's phases change when people fall asleep and how long they sleep in both rural and urban communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11163393 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have your sleep tracked over many nights in both rural Toba/Qom communities and urban areas to see how sleep timing varies across the lunar month. The researchers will combine long-term field recordings with controlled sleep-lab sessions to measure circadian timing and sleep patterns. They plan to compare nights before and after the full moon and use markers such as body temperature and hormone rhythms to pinpoint circadian phase. The aim is to determine whether the internal circadian clock or the build-up of sleep pressure explains moon-related changes in sleep.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults willing to have nightly sleep monitoring across the lunar month, including members of Toba/Qom communities and urban residents.
Not a fit: People whose sleep problems are driven primarily by medical conditions, medications, or irregular shift work may not get direct benefit from findings about moon-related timing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why some people sleep later or shorter near the full moon and help guide better sleep-timing advice or interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier work from the investigators reported shifts in sleep timing around the full moon, but this idea is still relatively novel and not yet widely replicated.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De la Iglesia, Horacio O — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: De la Iglesia, Horacio O
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.