I Let the Phases of the Moon Guide My Wellness Routine, and Noticed a Huge Change in My Mood

Mar. 15, 2025

Do the phases of the moon really affect your mood.Photo:Getty

Getty

As an astrologer and lover of themoon, I know just how powerful thelunar cyclecan be.

To better tap into this energy, we can set intentions through wellness activities with the four major phases of the moon (new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter).

Putting this all into action, I let the phases of the moon guide my wellness routine for a whole month. Starting with thenew moon, I documented how the lunar cycle affected my sleep patterns and mood and, eventually, brought me closer to my goals throughmanifestation.

Read ahead for how it turned out!

The new moon

Waxing cresent moon.Darwin Fan/Getty

Darwin Fan/Getty

The new moon is considered the beginning of the monthly lunar cycle. It indicates that we need to bring fresh activities into our lives when it comes to self-care.

I’m always exhausted during the new moon because the energy is especially intense when the sun and moon unite. Therefore, I stay close to home and am always ready to take a nap at any given chance.

It is vital to listen to your body at all times, so I know not to push myself too hard. If you’re wondering why I have precise details, it’s because I journal daily and catalog my endeavors — especially during these powerful lunations. I do this to hold myself accountable for my feelings and manifestations and even put my phone on “do not disturb” to stay present and connected with myself.

During thenew moon in Aquarius on Jan. 29, I spent 30 minutes meditating and flexing my mind in the morning to connect with what I need in life. Since I meditated at 5:30 a.m., I took a 15-minute walk around my neighborhood to procure an oat milk latte and to connect with the airy element of Aquarius.

Around 8 a.m., I made a vision board for the season since this was the first new moon of 2025. I wanted to do something fun, so I cut out expressions, motivational sayings and pictures that would align me with my best self and set my aspirations. This vision board centered around my community, including volunteering at local events as I want to be a vibrant member of my neighborhood — all of which is very on brand for an Aquarius new moon!

Later, I made a cup of jasmine tea to decompress and set my intentions. More importantly, to ensure I could fall asleep, since jasmine tea is a natural sleeping aid and helps with my insomnia. For an extra calming effect, I sprayed Ashley Tisdale’sBeing Frenshe lavender miston my sheets in preparation to calm my mood.

At the end of the day, I was extremely tired and had lucid dreaming throughout the night. As a firm believer in dream interpretation, I have an astute comprehension of their meanings. Sometimes a new moon doesn’t access our intuition due to its blacked-out appearance.

The first quarter moon

FIrst quarter moon in July.Darwin Fan/Getty

Approximately seven days after the new moon, the first quarter moon occurs. The first quarter moon urges us to give extra TLC and slightly augment our new moon intentions, if necessary.

Notably, this lunation creates a square between the sun and the moon. On Feb. 5, thesun was in Aquarius, and the moon was in Taurus — anEarth signthat likes to indulge in the pleasures of life. As a result, I decided to light a pink candle — the color of relationships — and place my manifestations underneath a bowl I placed the candle in.

I also used my rose quartz — the crystal of love — face roller with rose face oil — the essence of Taurus.

I stated my goals as I proceeded with my evening self-care and even sprayed my pillow and sheets with a rose-scented room spray to keep the vibes moving forward.

The full moon

The August full moon.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty

The full moon marks the end of the monthly lunar cycle, creating a time of reflection, contemplation and rejuvenation. The opposition between the sun and moon illuminates light on matters and emotions that are usually unseen and it gives us the strength to understand our thoughts and aspirations.

Thefull moon in Leooccurred on Feb, 12. Since I was born on a full moon, this month is usually extra busy for me and I must remind myself that it is essential to center and ground myself. The connection between the body, mind and spirit is intense during full moons — especially since the moon controls the ocean’s tides, and earthlings comprise over 60% water. As a result, I prefer to take on healing endeavors.

With this particular full moon, one must connect to the heart because Leo rules that appendage. I wrote a letter to the universe regarding the intentions I have been working on all month. I then sent it out to an unknown address that I made up to ensure that it wouldn’t come back so that it could be one with the universe. I was hyper-specific about the energy I was calling in and wanted to release.

The last quarter moon

Last quarter moon.FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty

FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty

The last quarter moon is when we give our intentions one last send-off.

As the last quarter moon in Scorpio occurred on Feb. 20, I decided to take a rejuvenating bath with Epsom salt to relax my body and rose petals to call in friendship. I added a few of thelion’s paw shells from The Hoodwitchas they connect to my intention of friendship.

With the moon in a Water sign, I made an effort to align with that element. I made a playlist of songs that carried the sentiment I wanted and played it while soaking in the bath. With every note, I felt closer to my hopes (because exercising the throat chakra brings you closer to what you truly need and want). I also made up my own words to accompany the manifestation of the new moon.

While I did have trouble sleeping this evening, staying up all night binge-watching movies on Tubi, I eventually turned toselenite, a cleansing crystal, for relaxation. After an hour of clearing my vibes, I fell asleep and managed to ward off the blocks that were holding me back.

Do the moon phases really affect your mood?

As you know, it takes time to manifest one’s desires and is always a work in progress. However, I have met a few people in my local area that I hope to spend more time with, in line with the manifestations I laid out during the new moon in Aquarius.

I am closer to my visions than I was last month, but I always take a few minutes during these phases of the moon to ensure I am giving these desires some love and energy.

As someone who rarely gets enough sleep, letting the lunar cycle guide my wellness routine made me far more relaxed than usual. Of course, each cycle affected me in different ways. While the first quarter and last quarter had little effect on me, being born during a full moon, I thrived during the full moon.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to how you find your energy. Not only is important to refer back to your ownbirth chart, but it’s also good to note which zodiac sign the moon will be in during each cycle to help guide which rituals you’re doing.

source: people.com