Science Says Babies Born In These Months Tend To Live Longer
When you think of factors that influence your life expectancy, you probably think of factors like diet, exercise, and genetics. Some of these factors you can control, and others, you cannot. Unless you are interested in astrology, the last factor that likely comes to your mind is one that you definitely can't control: your month of birth. You would be surprised to learn that research actually does show that month of birth is associated with not only health but even life expectancy.
At first glance, this association may seem outrageous, but it becomes more comprehensible when we consider that babies born at different times of year are exposed to different environmental factors (such as nutrition, vitamin D levels, and seasonal infections) inside the womb and during infancy (via LiveScience). These are important stages of development, so it is really no surprise that there may be an influence on health and well-being.
Since we know that birth month can influence your health, what birth months set the stage for a long life?
Babies born between September and November are more likely to live to 100
At first glance, the picture isn't great for babies born in fall. According to Columbia Magazine, people born in October and November have the highest risk of developing diseases. This may be because people born in these months generally receive less sunlight, and therefore less vitamin D, when they are infants.
But luckily for autumn babies, the story doesn't end there. A study published in the Journal of Aging Research discovered that people born between September and November were the most likely to become centenarians. This may have to do with the fact that people born in these months are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, a common cause of death globally (per Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association).
With all of this considered, it is important to keep in mind that lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise are far more significant than birth month when it comes to determining your life expectancy. So spring babies, do not despair, and fall babies, do not fall behind on your exercise.