Can the season of our birth truly influence our mental health years later? The question may seem surprising, even bordering on astrology or outlandish theories. Yet, for several years now, researchers have been studying the effects that the prenatal environment and the first weeks of life could have on brain development.<\/p>\n
While those born in summer lament never being able to gather all their loved ones to celebrate their birthday, those who turn 60 in winter regret having to stay indoors for this special occasion. Whether born in winter, spring, summer, or autumn, the season of our birth has its share of drawbacks. Beyond the practical and festive aspects, it could also predict our future mental well-being. This is what a rather unusual Canadian study<\/a> suggests.<\/p>\n The origin of this research is rather unexpected. "The idea for this research came about when I was asked if I believed in horoscopes," explains Mikael Mokkonen, lead author of the study. "I then wondered if there could be a biological basis for their existence, in terms of a link between a person's date of birth and physiological or mental characteristics."<\/p>\n Far from astrological predictions, researchers have focused on a very real scientific question: could the environmental conditions to which a mother is exposed during her pregnancy have lasting consequences on the mental health of her child?<\/p>\n The season influences many environmental factors. Sunlight, temperatures, seasonal infections<\/a> , diet, and vitamin D levels all vary throughout the year. During pregnancy, these factors can potentially affect fetal development.<\/p>\n Some researchers suggest that exposure to certain seasonal factors could contribute to shaping certain aspects of long-term physical or mental health. However, the exact mechanisms remain largely unknown, and the results of studies conducted so far are often contradictory.<\/p>\n For their research, scientists at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia analyzed data from 303 young adults with an average age of 26. Participants completed two widely used mental health questionnaires: the PHQ-9, which assesses depressive symptoms, and the GAD-7, which focuses on anxiety. Their first finding: no clear association was observed between the season of birth and anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n However, regarding depression, a particular trend emerged among men. Those born during the summer, that is, between June and August, were more likely to present scores indicating depressive symptoms, compared to men born during other seasons.<\/p>\n These findings do not mean that being born in summer causes depression. The researchers themselves are cautious. Mikael Mokkonen emphasizes that this is not about establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. According to him, these observations could be linked to "environmental conditions experienced by the mother during pregnancy."<\/p>\n The study also has several important limitations. The sample size remains relatively small and consists primarily of students living in the same region of Canada. Furthermore, some questionnaires contained blank spaces. In other words, these results should be considered an interesting avenue for further research rather than established fact.<\/p>\n Beyond the question of birth season, this study draws attention to a major public health issue: depression in men. For a long time, mental health problems have clashed with certain traditional models of masculinity. Many men have learned to minimize their suffering, avoid expressing their emotions, or view seeking help as a sign of weakness.<\/p>\n This social pressure can delay diagnosis and treatment. However, depression does not always manifest itself in the same way in men and women. In some men, it may be expressed through increased irritability, risky behaviors, excessive alcohol or substance use, social withdrawal, or a loss of interest in usual activities. These signs are sometimes less easily identified as depressive symptoms.<\/p>\n Being born in winter, spring, summer, or autumn does not, on its own, determine a person's psychological destiny. However, this Canadian study suggests that an association may exist between summer birth and an increased risk of depressive symptoms in men. An opportunity to dismantle the last bastion of masculinity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Can the season of our birth truly influence our mental health years later? The question may seem surprising,...","protected":false},"author":8340,"featured_media":444234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5639],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-444216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bien-etre"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Naitre-ete-risque-depression-homme-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Naitre-ete-risque-depression-homme-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Naitre-ete-risque-depression-homme.jpg","author":{"name":"\u00c9milie Laurent","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-2f5d8c00d5d5c27f8ce4d9b3f9015467-96x96.png"},"categories":[{"term_id":5639,"name":"Well-being","slug":"bien-etre","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5804,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","parent":360,"count":1714,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5639,"category_count":1714,"category_description":" The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","cat_name":"Well-being","category_nicename":"bien-etre","category_parent":360}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8340"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444216"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":444294,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444216\/revisions\/444294"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} How the season of birth might play a role<\/h2>\n
What the Canadian study shows<\/h2>\n
Results to be interpreted with caution<\/h2>\n
Male depression, a subject too often kept silent<\/h2>\n
What you'll find in the Well-being section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you get back into exercise after a long break?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How much exercise do you need each week?<\/h3>\n
How can you sleep better?<\/h3>\n
Why am I tired all the time?<\/h3>\n
What you'll find in the Well-being section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you get back into exercise after a long break?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How much exercise do you need each week?<\/h3>\n
How can you sleep better?<\/h3>\n
Why am I tired all the time?<\/h3>\n