By: Jennifer McMillen Smith, LISW-S, HIV Social Worker at MetroHealth Medical Center and medically reviewed by Ann K. Avery, MD, Infectious Disease Physician at MetroHealth Medical Center
Every year, Mother Earth 🌎 clearly wants you to get down and dirty. She makes us slow down, turns down the temperature, sets some mood lighting… If the birds hadn’t migrated south, they’d probably be whistling some sexy time tunes. 🎶
So, should you listen to the call of nature 📣 and have sex in winter? Is it better for us to indulge or to keep our layers on? Well, grab a hot cup of cocoa, and let’s see if it’s time for you to end your cold snap.
Sex in winter shouldn’t be a thing, right?
We’re talking chapped lips, an abundance of plaid, every inch of skin wrapped up in unbearable itchy wool—what about that screams sex to you?
On top of that, there’s not much of a chance to socialize. Most people are stuck indoors, singing along with Mariah Carey for the infinitieth time.
So why are you so horny?
The experts have spoken! Here are seven (yes, seven) reasons why people tend to have sex in winter more often:
- Socks > stockings 🧦: Did you know that a person with a vagina is 30% more likely to orgasm if they keep their socks on while having sex? Yeah – socks. Not silk stockings. Wardrobe change!
- Your social battery needs warming, too 🫂: Wearing extra layers is okay, but clothes don’t exactly make us feel like we’re wrapped in the arms of our boo. Turns out sex is a very effective warmth generator, both physically and socially.
- It’s part of a weight maintenance conspiracy 🏋️♀️: That’s right—winter isn’t great for anyone’s waistline (hello, holidays), but sex might be the answer. When the weather makes it difficult to exercise outdoors, you might be tempted to get some sexercise inside instead.
- The culprit is sperm 😬: The sex pistol 🍆 has endured a long, hot summer. And, it turns out, its sperm has been getting impatient. Fall brings on all the feelings of …well, relief, and sperm begins to multiply at a higher rate. No wonder that experts have found people are more fertile during November and December.
- You’re trying to stay healthy 😷: Apparently, sex boosts our immune systems—so, just by “playing doctor,” you can keep colds and the flu at bay. Time for a checkup!
- You were just cuddly 🤦: Snuggling up to our favorite person gets oxytocin moving (also known as the love hormone). When are we most likely to cuddle? In the heat of summer? Yeah, no.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder 💖: More clothing means you’re seeing less of someone, which makes them more attractive. The less we show, the more we glow. This one might be a stretch. Time to strip down for science!
Now you’re armed with the cold hard facts and ready for some aggressive cuddling (with your socks on, obviously). Well, not so fast!
‘Tis the season to be… safe
Before you go any further and lock lips with the first person you see, we must talk about the most magical part of sex in winter: safer sex 👩🏫.
Make sure to wrap that gift up. Condoms help prevent unwanted pregnancies and protect against sexually transmitted diseases. We also recommend other barriers, such as dental dams and internal condoms (also called female condoms). Also, always ensure that the other person is on board—consent is a must! 👍 (& remember, there’s no such thing as non-consensual sex – just sex and rape.)
At the end of the day, safer sex is essential to enjoying our partners. We wish you a pleasure-filled, sexy, and fun holiday season! 😉❤️
One more note
We do want to quickly say that winter affects many people differently. For instance, if you are one of the 10 million Americans living with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), you might feel pretty lousy. For many, loneliness puts the libido on ice ❄️more than the weather could, and a lack of vitamin D can even cause erectile dysfunction (yes, really).
Around the holidays, you might feel extra pressure to be with someone. If that’s not happening this year for you, it’s okay! Winter can also be a time for you to snuggle up on the couch and watch Elf on repeat. That sounds like an unforgettable, magical time of its own.
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