The effects of the full moon on dementia

[Jayne Bath]

I have been caring for my mother who has vascular dementia for the past 6months. I am now convinced that there is a connection between the full moon and her behaviour.
For about 3 days before the full moon and for between 3 and 6 days after the full moon her mood and personality completely changes. It is very hard to bare her moods during this period and I am hoping some other carers have any top tips on what can be done during this time period. For the rest of the month my Mam goes back to being her usual easy to please and grateful persona. Has anyone else experienced this
I am so delighted to find this group and to be part of it

 

[Sue J]

Welcome to TP Jayne

I think this has been discussed at other times on TP, I have my own symptoms not sure that a full moon affects me but others may testify to what happens with your Mother. Its a great place for support and understanding and am sure you will get more responses to your query.

Best wishes
Sue

 

[nae sporran]

I can't say I have noticed it with OH who has vascular dementia, but teacher friends have commented on pupils being more unruly with a full moon. My massage therapist is sure that a new moon can also make some people more emotional, so it does sound perfectly possible.
No solutions though, sorry Jayne. But I am pleased you have found TP and am sure you can find plenty of help here. All the best.

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Jayne, welcome to TP
It's a load of old nonsense is my view, same as astrology, fortune telling and all the other charlatan tosh.
It may well be the body works on cycles and it may be they by coincidence match the 28 day cycle of the moon in some people but cause and effect has no basis in science.
I've noticed that 100% of people killed by sharks were wet at the time they were attacked, surely this can't be coincidence and is by the way the reason I've stopped showering or going out in the rain
K

 

[Jayne Bath]

Thank you for welcoming me to this site and for the comments

 

[WORRIER123]

Hi Jayne
I thought the same and kept a diary and it's not been wrong so far
I thought last week dads mood has changed and checked and a full moon
May be a coincidence but it's not been wrong the last 8 full moons
I feel your pain

 

[jjude]

My dad was in the dementia unit in hospital at the beginning of this year and there was a full moon during this period. The nurses told me that each full moon they are run ragged and nobody would be able to tell them there was no connection.

 

[webby123]

yes im sure it has a connection with full moon ,with mum she was more restless on those nights also i dated someone with a mentally disabled son who use to hate those full moon days as he would really play up on those days

 

[molgoa]

moon and dementia

Jane,
my mother acts weird during the full moon. Your obeservations are correct.
Edward

 

[Linbrusco]

My dad was in the dementia unit in hospital at the beginning of this year and there was a full moon during this period. The nurses told me that each full moon they are run ragged and nobody would be able to tell them there was no connection.

My mothers care home says the same.

 

[LadyA]

Well, the word lunacy derives from lunar. I don't remember my husband being any more agitated or restless at night than he normally was (mind you, it would have been hard for him to have been more restless at night than he already was!), but I know that I don't sleep well for a couple of nights around the full moon. And it's not the light - I have blackout blinds AND blackout curtains in my bedroom!

 

[Lawson58]

Many years ago, a friend's father worked at a large psychiatric hospital and the staff hated being on duty at the time of the full moon. There was an increase in violence but he said the worst part was the increase in the noise levels.

I recently had to take OH into Emergency a few weeks ago and it just happened to be at the time of the full moon. The doctor assured me that there is always an increase in the number of people presenting with psychotic episodes and certainly there was some distinctly odd behaviour in the waiting room. There were the usual drunks, broken bones, cuts etc but quite a few who were decidedly unwell.

Not into astrology or such things either but the moon exerts a huge influence on our vast seas. And what else?

 

[Witzend]

Many years ago, a friend's father worked at a large psychiatric hospital and the staff hated being on duty at the time of the full moon. There was an increase in violence but he said the worst part was the increase in the noise levels.

I recently had to take OH into Emergency a few weeks ago and it just happened to be at the time of the full moon. The doctor assured me that there is always an increase in the number of people presenting with psychotic episodes and certainly there was some distinctly odd behaviour in the waiting room. There were the usual drunks, broken bones, cuts etc but quite a few who were decidedly unwell.

Not into astrology or such things either but the moon exerts a huge influence on our vast seas. And what else?

I'm sure I read somewhere that mass spawning of coral happens on one night of a particular full moon.
And I don't suppose it's altogether a coincidence that the female menstrual cycle is usually around 28 days, too.

 

[Saffie]

I am no science expert by any means but surely it is possible that the moon, sun and magnetism of the poles etc have an effect on the atmosphere of this planet.
That isn't the same as claiming to predict how one's life is going to pan out because of the star sign under which someone is born.
There is still much to be learnt and understood about the universe and I think anything is possible.

 

[Grannie G]

My husband was affected by the moon all our married life. Whenever there was a marked change in his behaviour I would check and be sure to find it was either a full or a new moon.

Nurses have commented on the changed behaviour of a whole ward.

The origin of the word lunatic is from the moon.

 

[Fullticket]

full moon and dementia

I have no opinion on this as I tend to take each day as it comes, but the person I work for has worked in NHS and in private practice for many years and he told me once that at full moon they had more staff on shifts in hospitals. ?!

 

[Dimpsy]

Well what a coincidence to pick up this thread on whether a full moon can affect behaviour.

A beautiful clear full moon at the moment and I've been up for hours with mum who has been restless all night long. She is currently dressed and dozing but has been very disorientated, woke several times and didn't know where she was and said she had been having a strange dream.

Is it the moon or a marked decline. Mum suffered a chest infection over Christmas which antibiotics have cleared and she seems back to her normal self, but after last night I'm not sure what to think.

Wait and see I suppose (at least she wasn't howling and I can't see any wolf hair sprouting!).

 

[RosettaT]

As I stated in another thread my OH seems to have 7 -10 days every month where something 'isn't right'. He started to go down hill last Saturday, so i'll keep an eye on the time of month in relation to the full moon and when this happens.

Not that I'm supercious at all

 

[Batsue]

It could be that the extra light from the moon is the cause, the only time my mum wandered was in the middle of summer on a night with a full moon, normally she is afraid of the dark but it was so light that night that it looked like early evening.

 

[Rencat]

I have been caring for my mother who has vascular dementia for the past 6months. I am now convinced that there is a connection between the full moon and her behaviour.
For about 3 days before the full moon and for between 3 and 6 days after the full moon her mood and personality completely changes. It is very hard to bare her moods during this period and I am hoping some other carers have any top tips on what can be done during this time period. For the rest of the month my Mam goes back to being her usual easy to please and grateful persona. Has anyone else experienced this
I am so delighted to find this group and to be part of it

It could be that the extra light from the moon is the cause, the only time my mum wandered was in the middle of summer on a night with a full moon, normally she is afraid of the dark but it was so light that night that it looked like early evening.

My partner who has early onset dementia is normally the gentlest of souls but as soon as there’s a full moon she becomes really aggressive and has hit two of my carers, they in turn threatened to leave when this happened, they carnt seem to be able to take the rough with the smooth when it happened which has left me in a right predicament as I’m physically disabled and she was my main carer