How Lunar Phases Affect Your Mood and Energy: A Simple Guide

First thing I want you to consider is that your body is roughly 60% water, and if the moon can pull entire oceans around the planet, what do you think it’s doing to all that H2O sloshing around inside you? Spoiler alert: it’s not just sitting there being polite.

Look, I get it. You’ve probably rolled your eyes at someone blaming their bad mood on Mercury being in retrograde, and you might be just about ready to roll your eyes now. But before you dismiss the idea entirely, hear me out about lunar phases. These cosmic cycles might actually be messing with your emotions more than you think. Let’s dive in! 

Why the Moon Messes With Your Mind

The moon doesn’t just look pretty in the sky; it can truly be considered the queen bee of astrology, as it governs our subconscious minds and emotional patterns. You can think of it as your internal emotional thermostat that someone keeps adjusting without asking!

When lunar phases shift, they create energetic waves that can leave you feeling everything from motivated and inspired to anxious and overwhelmed. The key to all of this, though? Learning to surf these waves instead of getting knocked over by them!

The Lunar Phases and How They Affect You 

New Moon

This is when the moon goes completely dark, like your social battery after a long week (or on a Tuesday). But here’s the twist: this darkness isn’t depressing. It’s more like a cosmic reset button. During new moon phases, you’ll likely feel more introspective and ready for new beginnings! Your intuition gets stronger, and those “maybe I should finally start that project” thoughts become louder, and you should listen to them! This phase lasts about 3-4 days and sets the tone for the entire lunar cycle.

Waxing Crescent

Think of this as the moon’s awkward teenage phase, and with it, you’ve got about 7 days of building momentum where your motivation starts kicking in. This is when you actually follow through on those new moon intentions instead of letting them collect dust. During this phase, you might notice increased optimism and the energy to tackle tasks you’ve been avoiding. It’s like cosmic caffeine, but without the jitters.

First Quarter Moon

Here’s where things can get spicy! The first quarter moon brings a surge of “let’s get stuff done” energy, but it also throws obstacles in your path like some kind of celestial practical joke.

This is when you might feel more impatient or frustrated, especially if your goals aren’t moving as fast as you’d like. The universe is basically asking, “How badly do you want this?” and making you work to prove it!

Waxing Gibbous

This 5-day phase is all about adjustments. You know that friend who keeps tweaking their dating profile? That’s waxing gibbous energy. You’re getting closer to your goals, but something still feels off, and you can’t quite put your finger on it. Your intuition is sharp during this time, so trust those “something’s not right” feelings. They’re usually spot-on!

Full Moon

Ah, the full moon. The phase that gets blamed for everything from bad breakups to weird dreams. Here’s the thing: when you really break things down, it kind of deserves the reputation!

When lunar phases reach peak fullness, your emotions do too! You’re more likely to feel overwhelmed, have trouble sleeping, or find yourself crying at dog videos (more than usual). Emergency rooms report more incidents, and anyone who’s worked in customer service or even with children will tell you full moon shifts are nothing short of intense! 

But it’s not all chaos! Full moons also bring clarity and the energy to release what’s not serving you. Honestly, you can think of it as an emotional spring cleaning, but with more tears, which can sometimes be a good thing!

Waning Gibbous

After the full moon intensity, this phase feels like coming down from a sugar high. You’re processing everything that just went down and (hopefully) feeling grateful for the insights you gained.

This is prime time for self-reflection and integration. Your emotional state starts stabilizing during this phase, and you can actually think clearly again!

Third Quarter Moon

Time to Marie Kondo your emotional baggage, as this phase is all about letting go of what doesn’t spark joy in your life! You might find yourself finally having those difficult conversations or cutting ties with energy vampires.

It’s like the universe is giving you permission to be ruthless about your boundaries! Use it wisely.

Waning Crescent

Here is the final phase before we start all over again! Think of this as your cosmic recovery period; you know, you’re tired, reflective, and ready to rest before the next new moon kicks off another cycle.

This is when you should be gentle with yourself! Take the time to process the month’s events and prepare for whatever’s coming next. Your energy is naturally lower, so don’t fight it.

Final Thoughts: Working With Lunar Phases Instead of Against Them

Here’s the practical stuff: instead of being a victim of lunar phases, you can actually use them to your advantage! Plan important conversations for waning phases when you’re naturally more inclined to release and let go. Start new projects during new moons when your creative energy is fresh! And please, for the love of all that’s sacred, don’t make major life decisions during a full moon! Try to remember that this is when your emotions are running the show.

The bottom line? Lunar phases affect your mood and energy, whether you believe in astrology or not. You might as well learn to work with these cosmic rhythms instead of wondering why you feel like an emotional hurricane every 29.5 days.

So, pay attention to patterns in your own life. Track how you feel during different phases for a few months, and I bet you’ll start seeing connections. The moon’s been influencing human behavior for millennia, and it’s not stopping anytime soon, so you might as well jump on board!