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Temporal insomnia -

The full moon is often associated with temporal insomnia, which would be obvious in the past when the light was so bright. However now, with screens everywhere, it's less believable. 

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Aggressive animals -

Dogs are known to howl more during the full moon, but one study published in the British Medical Journal stated that bites from animals were twice as frequent in an emergency room during a full moon.

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Some surgeons won’t operate - Though widely contested, it is claimed that surgeons used to refuse to operate during the full moon because they believed blood loss was an increased risk during this lunar cycle. 

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More babies -

A common superstition suggests that more babies are born during the full moon than on other nights, though it lacks any scientific proof. 

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The sex of your baby - One small 2005 study in Nepal indicated that women whose ovulation phase and pregnancy coincided with the full moon were more likely to give birth to male babies.

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A good time to hang your laundry out - According to an ancient belief, hanging laundry out to dry under a full moon gives it a spotless white color, similar to using bleach. 

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Invokes lunacy - The full moon was (and sometimes still is) believed to make people act like lunatics, a word derived from the Latin word “lunaticus” meaning "moonstruck."

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Controls menstruation -

Many theories from ancient civilizations link the phases of the moon (about 29.5 days) with women's menstrual cycles (about 28 days). Despite this coincidence, there is no evidence of a significant link.

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Increased fertility - Coinciding with menstruation, fertility in folklore and religion has long been linked with the moon, and it still persists despite studies disproving any relationship.

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Strange things happen - Do spooky things happen more during full moons? That's likely confirmation bias, as people pay better attention to unusual things around that time, and they remember them better as they're tied to a celestial event.

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Lycanthropy - Everyone's heard of the mythical lore about a person who went outside on a certain night and, upon feeling the full moon's light on their face, transformed into a werewolf.

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Criminal behavior - One study from 1984 suggested that full moons increased the rate of criminality, potentially because of "'human tidal waves' caused by the gravitational pull of the moon."

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It was once incorporated in the legal system - In 18th-century England, people on trial for a murder that occurred under a full moon could reportedly plead for a lighter sentence on grounds of lunacy.

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Criminal behavior - Another study looked at police records over five years in Florida and found an increase in cases of homicide and aggravated assault around full moons. Sussex Police actually put extra officers on duty during full moons in 2007.

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Criminal moon behavior has been debunked - So where did the belief come from? Some posit that in the past, post-sunset activity was limited by the absence of electricity, but the full moon granted the visibility to commit crimes—and to witness them. 

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Same effect on all bodies of water - Some believe the romantic idea that the full moon affects humans in the same way it affects the oceans, simply because we are made largely of water too. 

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Sacred - Full moons are sacred and celebrated in Sri Lanka, as legend says that Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death happened on a full moon. 

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Mental health - Although the full moon's effect on mental states has not been proven, many doctors and nurses have posited that there is a link. 

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Increased libido -

With many linking women’s fertility and menstruation to the lunar cycle, it follows that many also believe the moon can actually increase your libido and energy.

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Trigger epileptic seizures -

The myth of the full moon causing epileptic seizures persists, so much so that Dr. Selim Benbadis, associate professor of neurology at the USF College of Medicine, attempted to find a scientific correlation. The 2004 study found no links. 

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Moon dreams -

In a study from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg, researchers found a connection between cycles of the moon and sleepers’ sensitivity to disturbances, with high cerebral cortex activity and more REM sleep recorded during the full moon—even though participants were in windowless rooms. 

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Higher rates of fatalities -

A study of 13,029 motorcyclists killed in nighttime crashes found that there were 5.3% more fatalities on nights with a full moon compared to other nights. The authors, however, believed it was due to visual distractions created by the moon.

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A good time to get a haircut - Certain beliefs maintain that the Moon boosts our blood flow, making hair grow faster if it's trimmed during the evening of a full moon. 

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Modern day full moons are time to manifest -

For astrologists, the full moon's energy makes it a good time for releasing and manifesting, cleansing past regrets and setting new goals. 

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Powers at Stonehenge - Pagans reportedly believed the waning full moon offered the most mystical time at Stonehenge, as the Earth prepares to be reunited with her lover, the Sun.

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Full Moon Party in Thailand - One of the most popular full moon celebrations is held on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand. Mostly attended by tourists, the party attracts thousands of people every full moon night for lunacy at its finest.

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Lucky Mondays -

The full moon is reportedly considered unlucky if it occurs on Sunday, but lucky if it occurs on Monday. The name of Monday has roots in an Old English word that means "moon day."

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Our beliefs say a lot about us -

A 2019 study, which found no correlation between the full moon and mental health, described why unfounded superstitions persist, calling it “a primal, emotional desire to believe that we are not solely responsible for our own behaviors.”

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Slow down, skeptics -

Moon myths aren’t completely false, however, and current researchers on the lunar cycle’s effects on humans say skepticism comes from awareness of historical myths and legends. There is apparently more of an effect than we think. 

See also: What would happen if we didn't have the Moon?

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