Posted on 06/13/2012 5:02:26 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Researchers who studied more than two million people over 40 years found a rise in deaths from heart attacks, strokes, falls and suicides.
William Shakespeare died on his birthday on April 23 1616. The actress Ingrid Bergman also died on her birthday, in August 1982.
On average, people over the age of 60 were 14 per cent more likely to die on their birthdays.
Heart attacks rose 18.6 per cent on birthdays and were higher for men and women while strokes were up 21.5 per cent - mostly in women.
Dr Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross of the University of Zurich, said: 'Birthdays end lethally more frequently than might be expected.' He added that risk of birthday death rose as people got older.
Canadian data also showed that strokes were more likely on birthdays, especially among patients with high blood pressure.
There was a 34.9 per cent rise in suicides, 28.5 per cent rise in accidental deaths not related to cars, and a 44 per cent rise in deaths from falls on birthdays.
Psychologist prof Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, said: "It seems to be a valid finding.
"There are two camps - one is the camp that suggests you eat too much and your getting on a bit and that causes you to die.
"The other is a placebo effect. You are knife-edged on death. And you kept yourself going until your birthday. You think 'that's it I've had enough I'm out of here'."
Dr Lewis Halsey, of the University of Roehampton, said: 'One interesting finding is that more suicides happen on birthdays, though only in men.
'Perhaps men are more likely to make a statement about their unhappiness when they think people will be taking more notice of them.'
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
54 sadly. Today is my brother and my 65th birthday. Her birthday was June 27th 2 weeks after ours.
I am so sorry to hear this.
I just went to Wikipedia regarding Elvis’s mother, Gladys. She died on August 14th, and Elvis died on either the 16th or 17th of August.
Not so much on my birthday but things always happen to me on Christmas Eve of all times. Friends car rolled in high school, admitted to the ER two other times, other things I can’t remember at the moment. Generally stay out of trouble all days but Christmas Eve.
i think more people die in january, probably due to folks hanging on through the holidays.
It must be very difficult to experience such a profound loss on an otherwise joyous occasion. So sorry for your loss!
Thank you. She was a wonderful wife to my Dad for 58 years and a great Mom to 5 of us. She loved God, people, and America. I rejoice in the assurance that she is in His very presence, and that the very last words I said to here were “I’ll see you there.”
“.........,and that the very last words I said to here were “I’ll see you there.”
How beautiful!
Thank you. My husband kind of put it in perspective for me. (BTW Christmas is also his birthday). He said that dying on Christmas was a special day to die, as well as a special day to be born. It didn’t cheer me up that day, but as the years have gone on, I can see his point.
What a coincidence. We’re also more likely to be born on our birthday.
You’re more likely to attempt to “Drink Your Age” in shots on your Birthday than any other day of the year.
Weird isn’t it?
Don’t forget binge drinking, which can easily get out of hand on a birthday, especially when bars will give you free beers and shots.
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