Seasonal effects on sexual activity
Ever wonder how the seasons affect how much sex you have? Well, summer is just around the corner and research shows that people have more sex in the summer.
Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that there are a number of indicators that sex occurs at a higher rate in the summer. During July, August, and September, there is a higher rate of new STI diagnoses, higher abortion rates, and condom sales go up. The researchers note the occurrence of all these trends and their consistency over time indicates that during the summer months there are not only increased rates of sexual activity, but more people are having unprotected sex.
Similar results were found by researchers at Monash University in Australia. Their findings show that there is an increase in some STIs in the summer, and that people also have more partners during this time.
People aren’t just having more sex, but they are looking for more sex. A study by Patrick and Charlotte Markey of Villanova University found that there is a peak in Google searches regarding pornography, prostitution, and mate-seeking.
There is a clear increase in summertime sex, but why? One reason may be the change in people’s social lives. During the summer there tends to be increased socializing, which brings about more opportunities for sexual encounters.
There is also more leisure time and people tend to go on vacation. Dr. Karen Rogstad wrote about the impact of the holidays on sexual intercourse in BMJ. Rogstad states that there is an increase in sexual intercourse and unsafe sex during summer vacation as “holidays provide an opportunity for increased sexual mixing whether taken at home or abroad.” Travel is a predictor of increased sexual activity, as people have sexual intercourse with new sexual partners while on holiday, which is a factor in why those who have been away on vacation have higher levels of STIs.
Another explanation for the increased sexual activity is the weather. Trojan’s Degrees of Pleasure survey found that hotter climates increase sexual activity rates and duration. While warmer weather is linked to increased sexual frequency, there is a careful balance, as 35 per cent of participants stated they had passed on sex when it was too hot. The survey found that 20 to 21 degrees Celsius was the ideal temperature to have sex.
A National Bureau of Economic Research study found that “hot days have an immediate impact on reproductive health and/or coital frequency.” Specifically, when temperatures were above 27 degrees Celsius there was an indication that people were having less sex.
Feature photo courtesy from Unsplash.