5 reasons why younger siblings help improve your health

barasa velma

February 27, 2018 1:55 PM

There not there just to be a nuisance.

Having a sibling is a lifelong commitment.

Friends will come and go but family will always be there, through the difficult times and also the best of times.

The bond between siblings, however, goes beyond just blood relation, family drama and fun times. Your sibling especially your younger one can actually help improve your health and here’s how.

1.They help give you empathy

Siblings can help you develop one’s empathy over time. According to Marc Jombon, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, both younger and older siblings positively contribute to each other’s empathy except for a relationship between older sisters and younger brothers.

2.They help you stay in shape

A study conducted on 2014 found that if an older sibling was obese, there was a greater chance of the younger sibling being obese as well. This is due to the fact that younger siblings model their lifestyles around their older siblings.

A different study published in the Pediatrics however found that children that get a younger sibling before they get to the first grade are less likely to get obese later on in life.

3.They help shape your character

Younger siblings can help shape what your character will be later on in life. If your brother was into sports then you would focus more on sports.

4.They help you to be a better leader

Younger siblings help older siblings to become better leaders. The eldest sibling is usually believed to be the more responsible one and there could be some truth to this.

Having a younger sibling makes the older sibling tend to take on a protective role and influential role when it comes to their younger siblings.

5.They can help you take care of yourself

Having someone that cares about you and relies on you to some extent makes you want to take care of yourself and the same applies when it comes to siblings.