by Jennifer Cox Longevity OK, so you bickered growing up and, heck, maybe you even bicker now. But that brother or sister of yours could be the key to living longer, so you should play nice. We’re regularly looking at different things that contribute to our overall longevity and, believe it or not, those who have siblings generally live longer than those who don’t. There isn’t a black-and-white reason as to why this is, but one thing that’s sure: social factors are a huge contributor when it comes to examining the link between siblings and longevity. Real Simple published an article by Abigail Wise called “Why Your Sibling Is Good for Your Health” and said that research shows that older people with living siblings have a higher sense of morale…bonding with our brothers and sisters isn’t only important as we grow and mature, but may also bring major benefits later in life. Siblings can help improve mental health as well as physical fitness, and strong social ties may help you live longer, according to research published in the journal PLoS Medicine. She writes about the study, “On average, those with poor social connections died about 7.5 years earlier than those with solid bonds to friends and family. That’s about the same difference in length of life as the gap between smokers and non-smokers. This may be because caring about our friends and family inspires us to take better care of ourselves, or it may be because we turn to loved ones to provide us with support when we’re sick or stressed, Timereports. Nomatter the reason, keeping that strong connection with our siblings could help us live a longer, happier and healthier life.” In another study, this time done in Swedish, satisfaction with sibling contact in one’s 80s was closely correlated with health and positive mood, more so than was satisfaction with friendships or relationships with adult children (npr.org). When it came to experiencing isolation, something that is common in those who are aging and are sick or experience a shorter lifespan, this loneliness was eased for those who had a supportive relationship with their siblings, whether they gave the support or received it. Having a brother or a sister can also have positive implications on other areas of your life. A U.K. publication calledPsychologies cited a study tracking almost 300 men from the late 1930s to the present day to examine the importance of the sibling bond. “According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, 93 per cent of the men who were thriving at 65 had been close to a sibling in their early life. The study also reports that poorer relationships with siblings before the age of 20 could be a predictor of depression later in life, suggesting that the longer we can sustain close sibling relationships in adulthood, the more it can benefit and protect us emotionally.” TheHuffington Post published a piece called “9 Life SkillsWe Learn FromHaving Siblings,” and it explains how a sibling teaches us other valuable lessons that we carry with us forever. These include love, co-operation, tolerance, leadership, assertiveness and negotiation skills. So, in the end, it’s all of the positives that come along with having a sibling that helps us live a longer, happier life. These are mainly the emotional bonds that aren’t shared with anybody else, including our parents, friends or children, but only between siblings. Brothers and sisters help us find commonality with other people and, given that we’re social beings, this is inextricably connected to how long we live. Who would’ve thought that your brother’s incessant teasing or arguing with your sister would inevitably lead to more years in your life!? Longevity and Siblings CSANews | FALL 2016 | 47
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