The Moon's Pull

Last week, nature graced us with a lunar eclipse. Having never experienced one, I was all atingle as I anticipated this exciting cosmic event. I set my internal alarm clock for 3:45 a.m., when the eclipse would be at its peak, woke up right on the button and headed outside. I stood in the middle of my dark street, bleary-eyed in my pajamas, and stared up at a beautiful dusky moon.

It was a perfect night for it. The sky was clear and cool, rimmed in faint stars that paled in comparison to that full, glowing satellite. Its face had taken on a reddish hue, as if the entire surface had been dusted with cinnamon. It was a remarkable sight that has stuck with me all week.

It got me thinking about the mythical effects the moon supposedly has on the human body. We’ve all heard the tales… A full moon purportedly ushers in a range of bodily reactions, from erratic behavior to seizures. It’s even rumored to manipulate menstrual cycles! As a new paramedic, I remember the warnings from seasoned personnel about the nutjobs that would emerge when the moon was full (although it seemed my fellow firefighters were far more afflicted than any of our patients). So I thought we’d have some fun sampling these old wives’ tales and hopefully, laying some of them to rest.

The lunar myths are tied to its gravitational pull. Folks believe that since the moon regulates the tides on earth, it should have similar effects on the human body since, like the oceans, we are composed mostly of water. The only problem with this theory is, the last time I checked, the oceans were a lot bigger. And besides, the tides go in and out despite the phase of the moon. Yes, a full moon can cause subtle surges in tides, but the same effect happens with a new moon. It’s not so much the phase of the moon as it is the lining up of the sun, earth, and moon, which occurs during both the full and new moons. So rest easy… your bloating should not intensify as the moon grows full.

As for the moon’s effect on seizures, epilepsy is a disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures that affects people of all ages. Caused by erratic electrical events within the brain, rumor has it these events intensify under a full moon. But, epileptics -  have no fear. When scientists reviewed the frequency of seizures over a three-year period, they found no increase when the moon was full. Quite the contrary: more seizures occurred during the last quarter, so if you’re going to stockpile your Dilantin, do it for when the moon wanes.

And what about menstrual manipulation? Apparently, someone (gotta be a man) came up with the

idea that the full moon somehow influenced menstrual cycles, I guess since they both occur about once a month. However, few women flow with as much regularity as the lunar cycle and, if the moon actually did influence menses, then in my mind it should cause a world-wide synchronicity resulting in global premenstrual syndrome – aka, Armageddon!! God help us!

Emergency room visits have been rumored to increase beneath a full moon, as have animal attacks. Could it be these events are related? Seems only natural that if the critters are biting, the ERs would be buzzing. But once again, science has dispelled this myth. There appears to be no increase in ER visits when the moon is full. As for critter bites, a British study back in 2001 found twice as many animal bites when the moon was full, but studies elsewhere fail to corroborate their findings. Perhaps it’s just a “Brit” thing. Have you seen the size of the rats in London??

What about the psychological effects of the full moon? The poor moon is blamed for everything from depression, to suicide, to psychotic outbursts. In fact, the word “lunacy” comes from Luna, the Roman Goddess of the Moon, and the condition was believed to be linked to the moon's phases.

We can thank Pliny the Elder for that one. Although Pliny was a deft naturalist, he missed the mark when he claimed that, since the full moon caused an unusually heavy morning dew, it must have the same effect on the brain. Pliny believed it was the “unnaturally moist” brain that led to the erratic behavior. I’m no Einstein, but it seems logical that a moist brain beats a dry brain, any day. Alas, old Pliny never got to see his theory falsified; he was among the tens of thousands killed when Mount Vesuvius blew.

The only bodily effects possibly attributable to a full moon are subtle changes in sleep patterns. Studies hint that people may stay up later on nights of the full moon, which can subsequently interfere with normal moods and temperaments. This might certainly have been the case among our distant ancestors, who were more in tune and reliant upon the light of the moon than us city dwellers in our climate-controlled apartments.

And no discussion of the full moon is complete without the myth-of-all-moon-myths, werewolves. According to the website, “Mythical Creatures Guide,” the belief in the transformative properties of the full moon and its resultant “manwolf” is widespread throughout Europe and comes in a variety of tall tales. Some werewolves were the result of witchcraft. Some were branded at birth by being born with a caul over their faces. And some were simply randy corpses who returned from the dead for conjugal visits with their widows.

However, just as our search for Bigfoot keeps coming up empty, so have our quests to locate a bona fide werewolf. But it sure is fun to imagine.

Picture this: The bright, full moon slowly rises in the east as the metamorphosis begins. The man’s canines elongate, his fingers morph into claws, he starts to drool as dense hair sprouts from every inch of his body…

Wait a minute – I think I dated this guy!

Have a great week and please share the blog!