If you think your zodiac sign is responsible for your personality, you might not be so far off. Researchers who study birth season and temperament have long surmised that the time of year in which you’re born affects levels of various neurotransmittors, like dopamine and serotonin, both of which play a role in a person’s overall mood—and there’s research to back it up. (Looking to take back control of your health? Prevention has smart answers—get a FREE trial + 12 FREE gifts.) But before you hinge your state of mind on your birth season, consider the findings below to be just a connection, not scientific proof of your overall personality, says Howard L. Forman, MD, a psychiatrist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, who focuses on mind-body medicine. “It’s not that your birth month is your destiny, it’s just setting you up to be more likely to have one type of mood or another.” Read on to see if any of this sounds familiar: If you were born in the spring or summer… According to a recent Hungarian study of more than 300 college students, people born in the summer were more likely than those born in the fall or winter to have rapid swings between happy and sad moods—i.e., they’re more irritable. And those born in the spring and summer were more likely to have excessively positive, upbeat and sunny (no surprise there) attitudes than those born in the fall and winter. If you were born in the fall or winter… Photo by Noel Besuzzi/Getty Images That same study found that if you were born in the winter, you’re more likely to be depressed than if you were born in the fall. But winter babies take heart: If you were born in those cold months, researchers found that you’re less likely to have an irritable disposition compared to those born in other months. “Symbolically, spring and summer denote the start of life,” says Lloyd Strayhorn, an astro-numerologist in New York City. “By contrast, fall and winter mark the end of life, which may have something to do with a person’s outlook.” MORE: The Best Diet For Your Birth Month So, what can you learn from this? “Each sign reflects a deeper levels of consciousness, so your birth month does connect to your predispositions,” says Suzanne Strisower, a life purpose expert and intuitive in Northern California who has a master’s in counseling psychology. “It’s important to learn what to expect and then develop coping strategies that work best for you.” In other words, understanding what the stars have in store for you may help you learn to make the most of your mood tendencies. Can you overcome your birth month fate? Absolutely, says Forman. “So many people look for things outside their control on which to base their outlooks,” he says. “This is a fatalistic way of looking at life and deprives you of the ability to take control of your situation and improve it.” That’s all the more reason to take your horoscope with a grain of salt. “A far more important influence on your outlook will be the way that you frame the events in your life, how you react to difficulties and who you choose to be close with,” Forman says. MORE: How To Be Happier—Even If You’re Not Exactly An Optimist
