Lunar cycle affects levels of testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol in the blood


Full moon leaves men stressed and sleepless: Lunar cycle affects levels of testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol in the blood, scientists find

  • Scientists from Tunisia and Qatar claim men suffer greater stress with full moons
  • They found lunar cycle affected levels of testosterone and of cortisol
  • Also claim solar radiation reflected from the moon could change brain activity

Don’t laugh ladies, but men get hormonal on a monthly cycle. 

They suffer from disrupted sleep and greater stress with every full moon, scientists have found.

While the changes fell well short of creating werewolves, scientists found that the lunar cycle affected levels of the sex hormone testosterone and stress hormone cortisol in the blood.

They suggested further study was needed to establish if the moon’s gravitational pull was creating ‘tidal’ changes in the body and brain.

Don't laugh ladies, but men get hormonal on a monthly cycle. They suffer from disrupted sleep and greater stress with every full moon, scientists have found (file image)

Don’t laugh ladies, but men get hormonal on a monthly cycle. They suffer from disrupted sleep and greater stress with every full moon, scientists have found (file image)

The experts, drawn from research centres in Tunisia and Qatar, also think solar radiation reflected by a full moon could cause changes in brain activity and blood chemistry.

‘Our study confirms for the first time that the lunar cycle affects the hormonal and haematological profile of humans,’ said Ismail Dergaa, co-author of the study that used blood samples taken from men on full and new moons. 

Levels of the sleep hormone melatonin and testosterone were lower during the full moon. 

But levels of cortisol, regarded as the body’s built-in alarm system, were higher at that time.

While the changes fell well short of creating werewolves, scientists found that the lunar cycle affected levels of the sex hormone testosterone and stress hormone cortisol in the blood (stock image)

While the changes fell well short of creating werewolves, scientists found that the lunar cycle affected levels of the sex hormone testosterone and stress hormone cortisol in the blood (stock image)

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