This Is Why Your Sex Drive Increases In The Summer
There’s a reason why everyone is suddenly feeling hornier.
It’s officially summer, which means it’s time to ditch the heavy clothes, break out the pool floaties, and crack open some cold ones.
But with even hotter days approaching, what happens to our sex drives? Is there something beyond just everyone wearing less clothes that spikes our libidos? Pull up a chair, have a cool drink, and we’ll explain.
According to Ashwini Nadkarni, M.D., psychiatrist and instructor at Harvard Medical School, we might be hornier in the summertime thanks to all of the sunshine we soak up. Sunshine makes us feel happy, and when we’re happy, so are our genitals.
“Sunlight has been shown to have an association with serotonin, a key neurotransmitter in the ability to experience pleasure,” Nadkarni told Glamour, suggesting catching some rays will not only give you a sexy sun-kissed complexion, but it may also make you extra hot for your ladyfriend.
Plus, when it’s hot out we wear less clothes, which involuntarily makes us think about sex, Nadkarni adds. Well yeah, obviously sexy bikini cleavage and sundresses are way sexier than puffy anoraks and sludge-covered snow boots…right, Gigi Hadid?
Astroglide’s sexologist, Jessica O’Reilly, Ph.D, also believes that summer is the season of sex, because people are generally more sociable in the summer and exercise more, which can them pretty horny.
She also says that the drop in melatonin levels we experience from being in the sunlight ups our libido, because apparently, melatonin can block sex hormones. And less sex hormones means you’re less horny. It’s simple science, really. (not really)
However, let’s not forget that summer months are hot and sticky, and it might not feel like the best time to have a sweaty body flopping around on top of you.
In fact, The National Bureau of Economic Research published a study last year revealing that babies are not too likely to be conceived on the hottest days of the year, and researchers say this is because hot weather makes us just want to bum around and not do anything, especially when it involves physical exertion and slapping moist body parts together.
Then again, researchers at Villanova University revealed that the most sex-related Google searches are in June and July, as well as in December and January…so clearly we’re horny year-round, but a little extra in the dead of winter, and in the summer heat.
So there you have it, folks. Science has spoken – summer romances (and hookups) are popular for a reason.