Lunar Impact: Hospitals And The Full Moon

The idea that a full moon affects human behaviour is a long-held belief, with many anecdotal reports from healthcare workers claiming that emergency rooms are busier and patients are sicker during a full moon. While some studies have found a small increase in psychiatric emergency room visits and panic button use by hospital workers during full moons, others have found no direct correlation between the full moon and hospital admissions. The belief that the full moon affects hospitals may be due to the increased brightness at night, leading to more activity and, consequently, more ER visits.

Do full moons increase hospital admissions?

The idea that full moons increase hospital admissions is a long-standing belief. Many nurses and midwives claim that hospital admissions, especially for A&E, births, and psychiatric issues, increase during a full moon. Some theories for this phenomenon include the increased moonlight during full moons, which may lead to more activity, and the gravitational pull of the moon, which could affect humans as our bodies are 80% water.

Despite the prevalence of this belief, scientific evidence for a correlation between full moons and hospital admissions is lacking. A study by Professor Jean-Luc Margot of UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy found no direct link between the moon and hospital admissions, birth rates, complications, or behavioural disorders. Similarly, an analysis by Portsmouth Hospital concluded that moon phases do not influence emergency frequency.

However, some data suggests a potential connection between full moons and hospital admissions. A 2011 study published in the World Journal of Surgery found that 40% of medical professionals believe that lunar phases affect human behaviour. A National Institute of Health study in the same year found a small increase in psychiatric emergency room visits during full moons. Additionally, hospital safety company Canopy found a 9% increase in the use of panic buttons by hospital workers during full moons, indicating a possible increase in violent or disruptive situations.

While the evidence for a direct correlation between full moons and hospital admissions is inconclusive, the topic remains a subject of interest and debate, with some healthcare workers sharing anecdotal experiences of unusual patient activity during full moons.

Do full moons cause more emergency room visits?

The idea that a full moon affects human behaviour, causing an increase in emergency room visits, is a common belief among doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, many report an increase in hospital admissions, particularly in A&E, during a full moon. Some also claim that there are higher volumes of critical care and psychiatric issues. A 2011 study published in the World Journal of Surgery found that 40% of medical staff believe that lunar phases can affect human behaviour. A similar percentage was found in a National Institute of Health Study, which also reported a small increase in psychiatric emergency room visits during a full moon.

However, despite the prevalence of this belief, most studies have found no direct correlation between the full moon and hospital admission rates. Professor Jean-Luc Margot of UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy, for example, found no link between the moon and hospital admissions, birth rates, complications, or behavioural disorders. Mark Mitchell, an emergency physician in Chicago, concedes that while the phenomenon is widely discussed, it is not something most ER workers take seriously. An NHS worker who dealt with emergency calls for two years also reported no noticeable increase in bizarre healthcare situations during the 24 full moons he experienced.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, the idea that the full moon drives strange behaviour is deeply ingrained in our culture. Some hospitals even bulk up on staffing in anticipation of a full moon. Interestingly, new data from hospital safety company Canopy found that panic button use by hospital workers increased by 9% during full moons compared to other days. While this may suggest a link between the full moon and hospital safety, it is important to note that the overall rates of security incidents in hospitals are influenced by various factors, including COVID surges and weekdays versus weekends, as noted by Canopy CEO Shan Sinha.

In conclusion, while there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that full moons cause more emergency room visits, the belief in this phenomenon is widespread among medical professionals and the general public. The association between the full moon and strange behaviour continues to capture the imagination, as seen in Hollywood and Bollywood films and songs from cultures all over the world.

Do full moons impact the behaviour of healthcare workers?

The idea that full moons impact the behaviour of healthcare workers is not supported by scientific evidence. However, a notable percentage of medical professionals believe in the existence of a correlation. A 2011 study published in the World Journal of Surgery found that 40% of medical staff believe that lunar phases can affect human behaviour. Similarly, a National Institute of Health Study found that 40% of medical professionals believe that moon phases influence human behaviour. This belief is so deeply ingrained in popular culture that some hospitals increase staffing in anticipation of potential strange behaviour during a full moon.

Despite the prevalence of this belief, most studies have failed to find a direct correlation between full moons and hospital admissions or unusual behaviour. Professor Jean-Luc Margot of UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy, for instance, found no link between the moon and hospital admission rates, birth rates, complications, or behavioural disorders. Another study published in the World Journal of Surgery also found no strong link between full moons and hospital admissions, despite the existence of anecdotal evidence suggesting a connection.

Some healthcare workers have shared their experiences of working during full moons, with some reporting hectic nights in the emergency room with higher volumes of patients and more unusual occurrences. Others have dismissed this as an incorrect assumption of cause and effect. One NHS worker who dealt with emergency calls for two years also reported no noticeable increase in bizarre healthcare situations during the 24 full moons he experienced.

While the evidence for a direct correlation between full moons and the behaviour of healthcare workers is lacking, the topic continues to be a subject of interest and debate within the healthcare community.

Do full moons affect surgical blood loss?

The idea that the full moon affects hospitals has been a topic of discussion for centuries. While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, many medical professionals believe that the full moon influences human behaviour, resulting in an increased number of ER visits. This phenomenon is often referred to as "full moon madness".

Some medical professionals attribute this increase in ER visits to the brighter moonlight during a full moon, leading to more activity at night and, consequently, a higher likelihood of accidents and injuries. Others suggest that the gravitational pull of the moon, which affects the tides, could also impact the human body, which is mostly composed of water. This belief in the influence of the moon on blood and other bodily fluids has persisted throughout history, with figures like Hippocrates advocating for physicians to understand astrology to better control bleeding during surgery.

However, studies have failed to find a direct correlation between the full moon and hospital admission rates or surgical blood loss. A 2011 study by the NIH, which analysed over 5,400 patients, found no link between moon phases and emergency room visits or surgical blood loss. Similarly, Professor Jean-Luc Margot of UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy, after reviewing various reports and studies, concluded that the moon does not impact human affairs.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, the notion that the full moon affects surgical blood loss remains prevalent, with some surgeons hesitant to operate during a full moon. The anecdotal experiences of nurses and physicians in emergency rooms during full moons contribute to this belief. Additionally, a study from Rhode Island Hospital reported higher survival rates for acute aortic dissection surgeries under a waning moon, suggesting that moon phases may play a role in surgical outcomes.

In conclusion, while the majority of studies refute a connection between the full moon and surgical blood loss, the enduring belief in this relationship highlights the complex interplay between science, astrology, and cultural perceptions.

Do full moons increase psychiatric hospital admissions?

The idea that the full moon affects human behaviour has been around for centuries, with some believing that it causes an increase in strange phenomena, from witchcraft and werewolves to spikes in crime, traffic accidents, and hospital admission rates. This phenomenon is often referred to as "full moon madness". While there is no scientific evidence to support a link between lunar patterns and human behaviour, many medical professionals and members of the general population continue to believe that the full moon influences human behaviour, resulting in an increased number of psychiatric hospital admissions.

A 2011 study published in the World Journal of Surgery found that 40% of medical professionals believe that lunar phases can affect human behaviour. This belief is also reflected in a National Institute of Health Study, which found that 40% of medical professionals attribute an increase in psychiatric emergency room visits to the full moon. This study analysed the data of over 5,400 patients and found a small increase in psychiatric emergency room visits during a full moon.

However, other studies have failed to find a direct correlation between the full moon and hospital admission rates. Professor Jean-Luc Margot of UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy, for example, found no link between the moon and hospital admission rates or behavioural disorders after assessing a wide range of reports and studies on the subject. Similarly, an NIH study from 2006 found no effect of the lunar cycle on psychiatric admissions or emergency evaluations.

The lack of consistent findings in research on the topic may be due to the varying definitions of "full moon" used in different studies. A 2014 study found that different significant results were obtained when using three different definitions of the full moon period: a 12-hour model (6 hours before and after the full moon), a 24-hour model (12 hours before and after), and a 3-day model (24 hours before and after the day of the full moon). While the 12-hour and 24-hour models showed a decrease in patients with anxiety disorders during the full moon period, this was not the case for the 3-day model.

Despite the conflicting evidence, many healthcare workers continue to report anecdotally that the emergency department seems busier and that more unusual things happen when the moon is full. Some have also observed an increase in critical care and psychiatric issues during these periods. However, others attribute this to the nature of emergency rooms, which can be busy and unpredictable regardless of the lunar cycle.

Frequently asked questions