Summer is thought of as a pretty “hot” season with people feeling friskier than other times of year. It’s possible the increase in vitamin D in summertime, spending more time in social settings, and showing more skin throughout the summer months together might create more sexual interest.
But when we look at hormone patterns, fall may actually be the season when sexual desire gets a boost.
Humans, like most mammals, experience a sort of “biological rhythm” when it comes to fertility and other bodily processes. Our hormones fluctuate with these rhythms, including hormones like testosterone which play a big role in sex drive, among other things.
In one study on testosterone in men and women, researchers found both experienced a drop in testosterone in the summer, with a spike in fall. A second study on men only also found a prominent seasonal peak in testosterone levels in October and November. Additional research suggests it’s not uncommon for men in particular to experience a drop in testosterone in the colder months of winter, as well.
Taking these studies together, it’s possible that fall may be a particularly potent time of year when it comes to sex drive. Another study found men actually find women’s bodies more attractive during the colder months because they’re less likely to see women’s bodies exposed around that season, in comparison to summertime.
Of course, if you or a partner suffers from season affective disorder (SAD), the fall and winter months may not bring much sexual desire along with them. Depression is known to lower one’s sex drive, with a decreased libido in colder months being a possible indication of SAD.