Historically, before artificial lighting, what consequence could increased illumination from a bright moon have had on human patterns?
Potentially altering natural sleep/wake cycles
In historical contexts preceding the widespread use of artificial lighting, the natural brightness of the Moon played a far more significant role in human environmental exposure. A particularly bright full moon, such as a supermoon, would have substantially extended the effective hours of daylight exposure during the night. This increased illumination could plausibly interfere with and alter the natural circadian rhythms and established sleep/wake patterns that humans followed based on natural light cycles. While modern artificial lights often far exceed the Moon's brightness today, this historical impact on natural timing is a key factor when considering the subtle biological effects of lunar light exposure.
