The next full moon is happening this Friday, 29th September, also sometimes named the harvest moon. But did you know that a full moon can stop you from sleeping? 

While being beautiful to look at, a full moon can affect your sleep for up to five days before. However, there is a technique – aptly named moon breathing – where you breathe through your left nostril and close off your right nostril, which helps you fall asleep faster than normal and improves your overall sleep quality. 

Searches for ‘moon breathing techniques’ have increased by 100% in the last year. So, the sleep experts at MattressNextDay have explained exactly what it is and how it can help you sleep better during a full moon. 

You can officially blame the moon for your lack of sleep. The time you spend asleep can be reduced by up to 20 minutes, with time spent trying to fall asleep increasing by, on average, a further five minutes, according to one study. That may not seem like a large amount, but if you typically only get around seven hours of sleep per night, this takes you below the threshold of recommended sleep. 

Similarly, delta waves during deep sleep (known as NREM sleep’) were reduced by 30%. Deep sleep is particularly important for your brain and body, so this significant reduction could greatly impact your productivity. 

So what can you do about it? Moon breathing is a yogic technique known as Moon Piercing Breath or Chandra Bhedana and has been around for years. 

How to practise moon breathing this Friday, 29th September  

Moon breathing is a technique where you breathe through your left nostril and close off your right nostril, which helps you fall asleep faster than normal and improves your overall sleep quality. This will help to combat the sleep disruption felt by the full moon. 

Speaking to MattressNextDay, yoga teacher Gemma Nice describes moon breathing: “You close off the right nostril and inhale through the left. The left nostril is thought to help calm the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest responses) rather than fight or flight, which is the sympathetic nervous system.

“It allows you to regulate your breath, heart rate and nervous system, allowing you to feel calm, relaxed, and sleepy without your head being full of unread emails or emails which need to be responded to right now, or pressure of an upcoming board meeting. It allows you to feel calm and relaxed and release the emotions from stress and anxiety.”

These are the six steps to practise moon breathing  

• Come to a seated or lying down position, closing your eyes.
• Push your shoulders away from your ears and take one breath to feel fully centred and calm.
• Bring your right thumb to close off your right nostril. Rest your other fingers around your hand or extend the fourth and fifth fingers. 
• Inhale through your left nostril and close it off with your fourth finger. 
• Exhale out through the right nostril and keep this pattern going.
• Repeat for a few minutes or until your mind has settled, and you feel calmer and more relaxed. Notice where your shoulders are and how you feel.