6 reasons fall is the ~sexiest~ time of the year
Coming out of the summer season – which is packed with pool parties, twilight swims, and a whole lot of exposed skin – we might make the mistake of thinking that the steamiest time of the year is now behind us. We regret the fact that we have to tuck away our red-hot bikinis and instead think about purchasing a few scarves to cover up our neck as the wind grows harsher. If this sounds like a familiar reel in your head, we’re here to tell you that you’ve got it all wrong. This may sound outlandish at first, but autumn is arguably the sexiest season of the year, and you’ll probably find that it gets you hot and bothered in ways that summer never did.
This isn’t just harmless speculation. Science has actually proven that our sex hormones are firing at full speed during the fall. In other words, ’tis the season to have lots and lots of orgasms. Besides, just think about it realistically. Do you really feel like cuddling up for hours on end with your SO when it’s scorching hot outside and the humidity is bearing down on you? No way. That’s why the cool breeze of autumn can potentially bring about more romantic endeavors than, say, the Fourth of July. So eat some pumpkin and pucker up.
1. Pumpkin is a powerful aphrodisiac.
Pumpkin is the most available fall vegetable; you’ll find it in casseroles and soups as often as you’ll find it in pastries and cupcakes. It has some sexual magical powers, though, that you probably never knew about. Researchers at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Center in Chicago say that the smell of pumpkin can evoke sexual arousal in men, and when combined with lavender, the scent increased penile blood flow by up to 40 percent. Even eating pumpkin seeds can increase levels of testosterone and increase your sex drive, since they’re very high in zinc.
It’s speculated that one of the reasons pumpkin is so stimulating for many people is because it triggers a strange nostalgia for simpler times when they were younger and felt safe with family and friends. Apparently, that gets them to subconsciously ponder their own mortality, which evidently gets them horny.
2. Everyone’s hormones are gushing through the roof.
There’s a whole lot of science behind this one. For starters, it’s proven that levels of testosterone and estrogen rise higher during the season of fall than any other time of the year. Simultaneously, the back-to-school vibe and the transitions happening all around us cause a rush of dopamine to hit us in our brains, a hormone associated with happiness and sex. Put all of that together and it’s no surprise that our libidos are surging and driving us to reach out for sex at any given moment.
3. Men find women more attractive in the fall.
We’re just animals at the end of the day, so pheromones play a huge role in attracting us to each other. All the hormones that are surging through our bodies draw them to us, giving them a hint that we may be ready to get down and dirty. It doesn’t exactly hurt that there is so much testosterone coursing through their own systems as well. Furthermore, a study published by Psychology Today showed that men become increasingly more aroused by pictures of women (just pictures!) as the months get colder.
4. You cozy up to your lover indoors more often.
Gone are the days when you have pretty much all your dates outside. It’s not warm enough in the late afternoon to sneak in a hike or go for a swim in the ocean. Now that fall has hit, you tend to do more indoor things, like cook dinner together or snuggle up and watch a movie. (Pretty sure #netflixandchill was invented in autumn.) All the cuddles and emotional connection can very easily lead to a makeout sesh, which leads to, well, whatever you’d like it to lead to.
5. The outfits we put on suddenly become a tease.
It sounds weird, but rugging up in a pair of boots and a coat may be more erotic than your denim cutoffs and tank top. People get excited by a little mystery every now and then, so it could actually be really good for your sex life to cover up a little bit of skin. Experts say we get turned on when parts of another person’s body are left to the imagination.
Dr. Carlen Costa, a sexologist and relationship expert, told She Knows, “As humans, we tend to want what we can’t have, so less skin means more opportunities to provoke fantasy and think about what’s hiding underneath all those layers of scarves and sweaters.” So don’t underestimate what a little bit of collarbone can do.
6. It’s the baby-making time of the year.
Fun fact: Babies are conceived most commonly between November and December. Whether it’s because of the holidays or the hormones we’ll never really know, but we do know it’s a fact we can’t argue, so we may as well go along with it.
But whatever you do, always practice safe sex, no matter how horny you get!