This blogpost will build up to become my first serious look at an (albeit academic) topic important to my goal of healthy_longevity. A popular conversation topic. The more we talk about it, the more attention (sunshine) it would receive.

Is newer research more valuable than earlier research? I don’t feel that way. In fact, I find the biological research uninteresting and almost irrelevant to my goal.

— Make the best of what we have .. Humans are resourceful. I’m not fatalistic about the weather in my chosen place. We can adapt our lifestyle and choices.

☆ don’t ignore small changes, small optimization opportunities

The city to live is a choice, but many people seem to be stuck with that choice, often due to job, housing. I feel roaming_retirement is a smart optimization.
— personal bias: I’m usually biased in favor of where I live. Right now I have a “warm” feeling about warm weather. I’m lucky that I feel generally happy (not fearful) in both cold and warm weather. Not the same for my wife.
— individual differences
Genetics is one obvious factor. Some individuals live longer in warm places, some in cold.

Diet, workout are big /lifestyle/ factors. Some individuals have healthier lifestyle in warm weather, some in cold.

In winters, avid swimmers would have reduced opportunity for physical activity. I’m not one of them.

Q: do I overeat more in cold or warm places? Not sure.
Q: is my BMI better in cold or warm places? Looks like cold better.

— Stress .. has observable correlation with weather. Overall correlation is close to 0 😉 Some individuals have slightly more stress in cold.

Personal xp: Stress leads directly to overeating and BMI. Stress has indirect effects on cancer, heart, brain etc, but I have no personal experience.

Personal xp: (Outdoor) Workout has direct effect on stress protection/reduction. During winter, there are fewer days for retirees to go out, that’s why they notice “beautiful day”.

— https://web.stanford.edu/~moore/HealthBenefitsofWarmer.html is a U.S.-focused 1998 essay, with citation of European research.
Both warm and cold weather can lead to more deaths, but cold weather are worse. Tropical retirement destinations are popular.

Personal view: extreme cold/hot probably hurts life expectancy, but unless prolonged and extreme, that effect is possibly small.

— https://bradyholmer.medium.com/temperature-and-longevity-how-being-cold-might-influence-aging-18d0503f9b9f
“A lot of the tropical (i.e. warmer) countries where average lifespan is lower are poorer/underdeveloped; the additional factor of health care + increased risk of tropical diseases confounds the data.”

Singapore is tropical, but probably ranks very high in life expectancy.

“Warmer environments, where I am happier (subjectively, albeit) can participate (and enjoy) my outdoor physical activity…” I know for a fact that my aging parents didn’t go out much during cold winters, afraid of catching the cold.