Editor’s Note: The views expressed in the following column are those of the writer only and do not necessarily represent the views of The Collegian or its editorial board.
Summertime is full of fun, making memories, going on adventures and having a whole lot of sex — at least, that’s what scientists say.
The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine did a study on the seasonal variations of sexual activity and concluded that sexual activity was at its peak in the late summer months. The study found that condom sales rose exponentially during the summer months as well.
Research has proven that sex occurs more frequently during summer than any other season.
During the hot days of summer and the search for sun-kissed skin, people are wearing fewer clothes — or more revealing articles of clothing. These summer fashion trends can act as a tease for the human eye.
With all the skin exposed, that alone makes summer that much sexier than any other season. Women walking around in bikini tops and men walking around shirtless can definitely spark a sexual streak.
Biology is to blame for a human’s fixation on sexual appeal through visual displays of the body. A study conducted by Frontiers in Psychology found that when a person is wearing less clothing, such as underwear or a swimsuit, the human mind is more likely to view that person as merely a body that can be used for pleasure.
There are a lot of reasons to have fun during the summer. There are pool parties, cookouts and picnics, all of which can be the perfect place to flirt with and tease your sexual interest.
Another reason the summer months spike our sex drive is simply because of the sun itself. Having later sunsets and longer sun exposure reduces the melatonin levels in our bodies. This decrease in melatonin naturally increases our hormone levels because melatonin controls our sex hormones.
The sun itself can also act as a libido enhancement agent, working as an aphrodisiac like chocolate and oysters. Sunlight has been found to increase serotonin levels. Additionally, the sunlight’s vitamin D — excuse the pun — has also been found to raise testosterone levels, which can improve a man’s sex drive.
The Central European Journal of Urology conducted a study on the effect of seasonal variation in correlation with sexual behaviors and hormone levels in males. The results indicated that testosterone levels were higher in hot months than cold months. In fact, their sample size showed that there was over a 25% increase in testosterone levels in the summer as opposed to the winter.
There are a lot of reasons to have fun during the summer. There are pool parties, cookouts and picnics, all of which can be the perfect place to flirt with and tease your sexual interest.
So make sure you and your summer fling, long-term partner or whoever else you are soaking up the rays with are having the most fun you can these summer nights.
Shay Rego can be reached at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter at @shay_rego.
