Big Question: The lunar cycle, perceived social isolation and sleep quality

Principal Investigator: Greg Norman, Psychology; Marc Berman, Psychology

Funding Type: Seed

Focus Area: Complexity, Cognition

Big Idea: 

A robust relationship between perceived social isolation and sleep quality have been found in humans. It is thought that this relationship may be a compensatory response to an increased risk of predation or attack during sleep when one may not be able to benefit from the safety associated with being integrated within a larger social unit. Recent evidence shows that sleep quality fluctuates with the lunar cycle, such that full moon is associated with diminished sleep quality. Some have argued that this relationship is also a compensatory mechanisms associated with increased predation risk. This project will evaluate the extent to which loneliness-induced changes in sleep quality are influenced by the lunar cycle.