Does Mercury Retrograde Affect Sleep? Here’s Why We’re All So Tired

I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted—and much more than usual since Mercury went retrograde.

Apparently, I’m not alone: Searches for “does Mercury retrograde affect sleep?” have increased by 600%, according to Google trends, and several friends, family members, and coworkers who have shared that they haven’t been able to fall asleep—or wake up—since it started. The phenomenon is even trending on TikTok and a hot topic on astrology Reddit.

To truly understand the chaos of Mercury retrograde, you must first understand Mercury on its best behavior.

What is Mercury retrograde?

The planet of Mercury rules communication, technology, travel, and day-to-day affairs, as well as the astrological signs Gemini and Virgo. So when Mercury is retrograde, or appears as though it’s moving backwards (which it doesn’t really; it’s an optical illusion), all of those things can start to go awry.

“From friendly conversations to big professional contracts, if you say it, type it, or scribble it, it’s got Mercury all over it,” Inbaal Honigman, Tarotoo celebrity psychic and astrologer, tells Glamour. “So when Mercury is retrograde, emails may get stuck in ‘outbox’ for days, contracts could be delayed, and personal conversations can be taken the wrong way.”

Mercury retrograde can impact real-life conversations; any form of communication is unfortunately fair game. “Communication is at the heart of much that we do: Working, shopping, and studying are all rooted in communication,” Honigman continues. “If you compliment your bestie and she looks offended, it’s Mercury’s fault that she misunderstood you.” Now do you see why it’s such a notorious transit?

Mercury mishaps may also include phones, computers, and tablets inexplicably breaking and needing to be replaced, missing flights, appointments, or meetings, and even unexpectedly hearing from ex lovers or former friends. “You may see that they viewed your LinkedIn, or you could be on the receiving end of a bunch of flowers and a surprise ring, and anything in between,” Honigman says.

How does Mercury retrograde affect sleep?

How or why does Mercury retrograde affect sleep? After all, the moon is best known for regulating our sleep schedules—not Mercury, right?

It can cause stress and anxiety.

Mercury’s mayhem can cause stress and anxiety. “When the Mercury retrograde interferes with how we connect with others, it creates the kind of anxious environment that makes sleep harder,” Honigman explains. “Sitting up and worrying about something we said and how it can be interpreted can be a real thief of sleep during the retrograde. Packages that don’t show up or holiday photos we sent to the family group chat accidentally can have our nerves keep us up all night.”

Such can be the case whether or not astrology is even “real,” adds Martin Seeley, sleep expert and CEO of MattressNextDay. “This increase in anxiety and stress levels is often caused by the placebo effect of believing that challenges will arise, and things will go wrong, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Seeley explains. “Feeling on edge, anticipating potential problems, will inevitably raise your anxiety levels as the retrograde period goes on.”

It makes it harder to wind down.

Regardless of how logical it is, how you feel as a result is real. “The stress brought on by the Mercury retrograde can create a need for comfort, so overthinking can be a big issue during the Mercury retrograde,” Honigman says, and overthinking is pretty much sleep’s number-one enemy.

“With your mind constantly racing, it can be difficult to wind down at bedtime and allow your mind to really switch off, ready for sleep,” says Seeley. “Instead of being able to relax, you might find yourself tossing and turning, leading to frustration that disrupts your sleep pattern even further, creating a vicious cycle of lack of sleep and heightened anxiety.”

It can cause vivid dreams or nightmares.

Mercury retrograde can stir up unresolved issues from the past, which can manifest in your dreams, says Seeley. “This can cause your dreams and nightmares to be more intense, making the sleep you do get feel less restful,” he explains.

It can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

Mercury retrograde–influenced disruptions and delays might impact work-related issues, which might mean you find yourself spending more time staring at a screen to fix these issues, Seeley says. “But these screens emit blue light, which interferes with melatonin production, which is the hormone essential for regulating your sleep pattern,” he explains.

How to sleep better when Mercury is retrograde

Create a consistent bedtime routine.

According to a recent study, when you sleep matters more than the amount that you did.

“Sleep loves rhythm and regularity, and part of that regularity is having a predictable sequence of events that starts telling the brain to slow down and get ready for bed,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California. “A regular sleep-and-wake schedule, as well as a daily schedule for slowing down past a certain hour, is very helpful for sleep. Try not to sleep in too long on the weekends, ideally not more than an hour later than usual.”

As for how to set—and stick to—a designated sleep time? Create a relaxing bedtime routine. “Dimming lights in the evening (think sunset colors), putting on some relaxing ambient music, or maybe having a cup of tea, can all be a part of slowing things down in preparation for a good night’s sleep,” says Dr. Dimitriu.

Journal before bed.

“Overthinking can be a big issue during the Mercury retrograde, and bedtime journaling is especially effective for this; jot down everything you’re worried about, no matter how silly, and once you’ve put the worries down on paper, they’re no longer running around your head,” says Honigman.

Seeley says the same. “If you’re experiencing intense dreams and nightmares, try writing them down when you wake up. This can help you process your emotions or any unresolved issues that are coming to the surface during retrograde, help reduce anxiety, and clear your mind,” Seeley says. “Studies have shown that people with a better ‘peace of mind’ have more positive dreams, so add some mindfulness techniques to your nighttime routine.”

Try the 10-3-2-1-0 method.

Try to stop drinking caffeine 10 hours before you go to bed, as it takes 10 hours for caffeine to leave your bloodstream, says Seeley. (That’s the 10.)

“Wait three hours before going to bed after eating a big meal and drinking alcohol, and finish work and other stimulating tasks two hours before sleep, to allow your mind to relax and wind down, which includes looking at anything election-related!” he says. (That’s 3 and 2.) Finally, turn off screens one hour before bed, to stop the blue light affecting melatonin production, he says. (1!)

Limit your alcohol intake.

“Pouring yourself a glass of wine in the evening might not have the relaxing effect you think it will,” says Seeley. “Drinking alcohol, as well as alcohol withdrawal, can cause more vivid and disturbing dreams, and can lead to higher levels of anxiety and emotional dysregulation, making your sleep less restful, even if you fall asleep quickly.”

Practice self-care.

“Try some gentle exercise like yoga, which can help regulate your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and help you fall asleep,” says Seeley. “Run a bath, light some candles, or try a ‘brain dump’ journal where you scribble down your thoughts to help clear your mind, and stop them from racing through your mind and stopping you from sleeping.”

According to Honigman, essential oils such as lavender can help too. “They work on both the physical and the esoteric level in helping calm down our spinning minds so that we can get some much-needed shut-eye during those stressful weeks,” she says.

Wear blue.

If you're still struggling to remain optimistic, try wearing something blue. “The planet Mercury is linked with the color blue, the color of communication, so wear a blue necklace or carry a blue crystal to counter the effects of the retrograde,” Honigman says.

Keep a positive attitude.

“Some retrogrades are better than others for different people, so don’t expect the worst,” Honigman concludes. “There will be cases of a Mercury retrograde doing nothing worse than making you misplace your phone for two hours, you might not even notice it.”

What’s more, finding items you had lost or receiving a large refund could be two ways that the Mercury retrograde can work in your favor.

Danielle Sinay is the associate beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay.