Have you noticed that your sleep patterns change with the cycles of the moon?
Usually, for a day or two before and after the full moon my sleep turns to shit.
The good news is, I have come to expect it and I have learned how to make the ups and downs of my natural energy cycles work for me. I want to share my not-so-secret tips with you!
How the moon affects your energy levels
The moon is the closest planetary body to Earth, and its changes are easily observable with the naked eye. The moon has a natural cycle. It goes from new (dark) to full and back again about every 29.5 days.
The moon affects the tides of the ocean, animal migration patterns, and circadian rhythms.
Considering how much of the human body is composed of water, it makes sense if the moon can influence the ocean through its gravitational pull, it might have some effect on you as well.
The best way to begin to understand how your personal energy ebbs and flows with the moon phases is to begin observing the phase of the moon and how you feel. I do this with an app and a journal. Since the moon’s cycle is fairly short, you can begin to notice patterns relatively quickly.
When the moon approaches full, I can feel my natural energy levels building. I have found a way to harness the productive energy of the moon, and mindfully approach my day so that I can wind down at night.
Here are those not-so-secret tips I promised.
Tip #1: Use your energy up during the day
This might seem kind of obvious, but these are not-so-secret tips. If you do something that is physically and mentally exerting your energy during the day, you will be more tired at night.
I’m not talking about treadmills and forcing exercise on yourself that feels like punishment. It can be anything that gets your body and your brain engaged. It is important to stimulate both the body and the mind because you will get a more complete release of energy. Plus, I have found that when my body is tired but my brain isn’t, I have a recipe for disaster.
One of my favorite full moon activities is cleaning and decluttering. It moves your body, clears the energy from your physical space, and feels satisfying once it’s done. To stimulate my brain, I like to write, create digital art, or listen to a good non-fiction audiobook.
Please don’t put too much pressure on yourself with this. I fully support you doing something fun and joyful as you consciously burn energy.
Tip #2: Block out the extra light
Take a moment to observe the actual brilliance of a full moon the next time one comes around. It radiates a lot of light. It’s beautiful, but it also messes with the brain and body connection that lets you know it’s time to relax and wind down for the evening.
Getting some blackout curtains is a pretty simple solution, especially for your bedroom. It will be helpful if you were able to close all of your curtains or blinds and block out as much of the moonlight as you can about an hour before you are ready to go to bed. An eye mask is also useful for full moon nights.
These are inexpensive and can come in handy any time that you need to block out excess light and energy so that you can relax.
It is also extremely useful to turn off your screens about an hour before you go to bed. Experiment with the old ways, like paperback books and print magazines. Breaking up with my iPad at bedtime has been the single most effective thing I have done to improve my sleep.
This is pretty standard advice for anyone that has trouble sleeping, but it is especially important to be mindful if you find yourself to be sensitive to the illumination of the moon.
Tip #3: Surrender
In the circles I run in, we recognize that the full moon is for releasing things from our lives that no longer serve us. On certain full moon nights where I am having trouble sleeping, surrender has been the hardest/best thing to do.
Tossing and turning only builds anxiety. If I wake up and have a hard time going back to sleep, I remind myself that this is a temporary fluctuation of my energy and it is completely natural and normal.
There is nothing wrong with you.
Instead of lamenting how tired I am going to be in the morning, I do my best to reframe my situation and turn inward. I ask myself what needs my attention, where have I been ignoring my needs, and what would comfort me?
We all need self-care reminders. How convenient that you just happen to be awake and alert at the time when the Universe is most ready to accept your worries and guide you to releasing the excess energy that is holding you back.
Coincidence? I think not. Working with the moon has improved my emotional, spiritual, and physical health. I have grown to love her and all she has to offer me as a natural timekeeper and a reminder that life is cyclical. None of us are meant to shine at our brightest all the time. We need to retreat and rest.
I hope that the next time the moon is shining her ever-loving, luminous glory like a prison break spotlight, I hope that you can find both peace and relief.
Wanna stay in touch? I send out an email newsletter with journal prompts and reflection questions at each new moon and full moon. Plus, I will give you my Self-Care Menu PDF as a little bonus.
If you want to support my work and my coffee habit, you can do so here. ✌️