People who are left-handed have a lot of unknown secrets about them. How could being left-handed possibly be any different than being right-handed? Believe it or not, there’s actually quite a bit of a difference in the hand that you’re dominantly using. We believe these ten facts to be some of the prominent aspects of a left-handed person.
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1. Being Left-Handed Effects School
A lot of people might have experienced this growing up left-handed. Some kids are teased for being left-handed at a very young age. A study done by Australian researchers in 2009 had shown left-handed kids had difficulties developing. The study was able to show that they had troubles with reading, writing, vocabulary, socialization skills, and fine motor skills. However, students that were ambidextrous actually performed much worse. (1)
2. Pro Athletes
Another interesting fact about left-handed people is that they are typically pro athletes. Experts unanimously agree that if you’re left-handed you should try sports. The reason being has a lot to do with symmetry and formation. Players that are right-handed practice with other right-handed athletes. When finally competing against someone who is the opposite makes it hard to predict movements and positions. Forcing them to think differently than they have before. (1)
3. Pro Fighters
In light with the last fact, lefties tend to be some of the best fighters. For the exact same reasons described before. People who are typically right-handed have a disadvantage fighting against them. The unpredictability makes it difficult to fight them. A study from 2005 conducted by French researchers shows that war-like societies had a 27% of left-handed warriors. Their left-hooks gave them the advantage over right-handed fighters. (1)
4. Left-Handed Sleeping Problems
If you’re left-handed you may resonate with this fact. Lefties are more prone to jostle and jerk in their sleep. Due to periodic limb movement disorder or PLMD, is found mostly in lefties. A study done in 2011 at the University of Toledo, surveyed 100 sleep clinic patients. While 69% of right-handed people reported PLMD and overwhelming 94% was reported by left-handed patients. (1)
5. More Susceptible To PTSD
Another interesting fact about lefties is that they are more susceptible to PTSD. A 2007 study conducted by Scottish researchers was able to show lefties exuding PTSD-like symptoms after watching a scary movie. The reason for this is to be the result of unusual brain lateralization. In addition, this effects the way these people process anger and fear. (1)
6. Reduced Risk Of Arthritis & Ulcers
This might actually comes as surprise to some. Left-handed people are at a reduced risk for developing arthritis as well as ulcers. A study from 2005 that was published in the Journal known as Laterality, proves this thoery.
“The most likely explanation to me is that both handedness and disease risk depend on the interaction of hundreds of genes—we’ve mostly given up on the idea that one or two genes explain any of these things—and they have some of those genes in common,” explains Grimshaw. “But we don’t currently know what those are; this is currently an area of active research.” (1)
7. Left-Handed Myth Of Death
For some time now, there’s a myth that lefties have shorter life-spans than their ‘normal’ peers. You’ll be pleased to know that this is anything but the truth. In 1991, a study done at the University of British Colombia that was more harmful than good. Claiming that left-handed people had shorter life-spans as well as being the reason for car accidents. Ever since, several other studies have suggested otherwise. There is no real evidence that proves left-handed people are going to die quicker or that they’re bad at driving. (1)
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8. There Is No Creative Advantage
This is also a widely disproven fact about left-handed people. It’s to be believed that if you’re left-handed you’re significantly more creative. This unfortunately not the case at all. Grimshaw curated a study in 2013 on this very subject. The results that she was able to produce with her colleagues proved no significant differences in left-handed or right-handed artists. However, their results did show ambidextrous people to be extremely more introverted. (1)
“It’s an interesting contrast to views from a few decades ago or before, that stereotyped left-handers as somehow mentally or morally inferior,” Grimshaw explains. “However, the stereotype doesn’t reflect reality.” (1)
9. Drink Only On Occasions
There has been a stigmatization around lefties that they drink more excessively. Although scientists aren’t entirely sure why, they’ve experimented with this theory. A study published in the British Journal of Psychological Health was able to use self-reported data from more than 27,000 people. However, it wasn’t that left-handed people are alcoholics. In fact, the results proved quite the opposite. Left-handed people claimed that they only drank excessively on rare occasions. Otherwise, they hardly drink or not at all. (1)
10. It Doesn’t Matter What Hand You Use
With all of this being said, it’s important to know that being left-handed shouldn’t effect your everyday life. Although these facts seem like reasons to be fearful, however, they are not. These are very small differences in the large picture as a whole that make up a person’s existence. Additionally, it wouldn’t make sense for a person to stress over any of these reasons for being left-handed. What scientists and researchers have been able to surmise is that it’s very hard to draw conclusions like this. Just because a person writes with their left hand does not mean we should assume anything about their physical or mental health. (1)
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References
- “20 Little-Known Facts About Being Left-Handed.” Health. Amanda MacMillan. November 23, 2020.