Does always being late actually mean you’ll live longer?

If you’re always running late, you may have heard someone joking that it means you’ll live longer. But is there actually any truth behind the claim?

The idea has circulated online for years, with many posts incorrectly claiming that Harvard researchers proved chronically late people have longer lifespans.

In reality, no Harvard study has ever reached that conclusion.

What researchers have found is that optimism is linked to longevity. One major Harvard led study showed that optimistic people were significantly more likely to live to the age of 85 and generally enjoyed better overall health.

 

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Some psychologists believe people who are frequently late often share optimistic personality traits, assuming they have enough time to complete one more task before leaving. However, this connection remains a theory rather than an established scientific finding.

Being late itself has never been shown to increase life expectancy.

So while optimism may be good for your health, missing appointments probably isn’t.