• Question: why do right-handed people supposibly live longer thean left-handed people?

    Asked by mrmumble to Damien, Rachael, Suzi, Tim on 24 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      Hi @mrmumble
      I have heard this being said before as well, but I don’t think it’s true. Some people have suggested that in the past left-handed people struggled because tools and suchlike were all designed for right handed people, which may have given them a disadvantage and led to an earlier death. Nowadays this isn’t the case, so I don’t think it’s true any more that there’s a difference in life expectancy depending on what handed you are.

      What do you think? Are you left-handed?

    • Photo: Tim Fosker

      Tim Fosker answered on 24 Jun 2011:

      Hi @mrmumble

      I agree with Suzi. I don’t see any reason why right-handed people should live longer than left-handed people these days.

      If it were true, would learning to use the other hand mean you would live longer 😉
      It probably would if you lived in Feudal Japan, since nearly all sword skills were taught using the right hand!

Comments

  • Photo: mrmumble

    mrmumble commented on :

    yes, unfortunaltly i am left handed. 🙁 when my friend and i looked up about this on every website it said that right-handed people do live longer than left-handed people. so i don’t know what to think!!!!!

    • Photo: Suzi

      Suzi commented on :

      I really don’t think it’s true any more, don’t worry. Also, there are plenty of things you can do to keep healthy, if you avoid smoking, keep healthy and trim, eat well etc then that can increase you life span too! So don’t worry. Also, even if on average it is true, this doesn’t mean that it’s true for everyone!