There’s a day for everything. Today, we celebrate the left-handed lovelies among us, as August 13th marks the 41st International Left-Handed Day.
Here are 12 things you may not have known about the lefties in your life…
Lefties don’t live as long
On average, a leftie lives nine years less than a right-handed person.
Lefties have a higher risk of psychosis.
It’s believed that your brain laterality plays a role in such conditions.
But they make better artists
There is evidence to suggest that lefties are drawn to careers in the arts and display more creativity.
They earn less than right-handed people
Perhaps because so many are trying to find a career in the arts! But left-handed people earn approximately 10 per cent less than right-handed people.
Many famous intellectuals and politicians are left-handed
Including Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton.
It used to be quite an insult…
In Latin the word for left means sinister. In English, it dates back to an Anglo-Saxon word for broken, or weak.
It might determine your health
Different studies have found that left-handers are at an increased risk of suffering from learning disorders, but have a lowered risk of arthritis and ulcers.
They’re scared of more things
It’s to do with how different sides of the brain manage stress and fear.
They get angrier too
There are a lot of extremes of emotion at play here. Some research has suggested that lefties have a more difficult time processing their emotions.
You might find that lefties blush a lot too
Behavioural tests suggest that lefties are harder on themselves and worry more about their mistakes.
Left-handed people drink more often
The myth that left-handed people are more prone to alcoholism has been debunked, but they do tend to drink more often than righties.
But if it all goes wrong, lefties are more likely to survive
Researchers have suggested that in one on one combat, throwing a left-hand punch brings the element of surprise. In studies of primitive societies, researchers found that lefties were more likely to survive and thrive.
