By summer nights (from Greece) And all summer long (kid Rock) Till then summer of 69 (Bryan Adams) and summer Love (Justin Timberlake): Enough songs about summer love. You’ve never heard anyone talk about winter love. Why do we associate Summer with flirting, dating, love and sex? And do we actually do it more often, or is it mainly what it seems like?
To start with that last question: We are actually more sexually active in the summer. Volkrant The first cited several studies that show this. For example, a 2004 Swedish study showed that men ejaculate more often in the summer than in the winter, and a publication in American Journal of Human Biology Since 2010 it has become clear that exposure to (sun)light can stimulate feelings of lust in chimpanzees, baboons and humans.
more active sperm
The newspaper also cited an Australian study that showed STD reports were higher in the summer and more rapes occurred in the cities of Paris and Houston than the rest of the year. And then there’s a US study that reports that young people experience firsts more frequently in the summer months than the rest of the year. An Italian study suggests that men appear more fertile in July and August than the rest of the year. Sperm are then twice as active as in January.
Love expert Marie-Jose Bosch-Kuiper knows that hormones play an important role in all of this. “The moment sunlight hits your skin, something happens. Your hormones go through the roof. Men in particular produce more testosterone, which makes them feel more masculine and makes them sexier and more in love faster.” falls.”
Perfect Hormone Cocktail
Sunlight also stimulates the production of endorphins. That ‘reward substance’ – which your body also produces after exercise – contributes to feelings of pleasure and euphoria. In addition, exposure to the sun releases the hormone serotonin and the well-known substance caffeine. The former gives you a feeling of happiness, relaxation, the latter makes you alert and energetic. The perfect hormone cocktail for opening up new connections.
Love experts say, in addition to hormones, sunlight itself already makes us more relaxed. “The sunlight on your bare skin feels like a hug, it warms you. Even on the creaky ceiling you can feel all the stress melt away when you close your eyes.” melts away.”
There’s also something like the Pavlov effect that happens when the sun starts to shine, says Bosch-Kuiper. “All the happy moments are stored in our brains, memories of beautiful summers. That day at the beach, that crazy vacation, that wonderful festival. The moment the sun shines, you can feel a kind of déjà vu and immediately feel happy. Just like when you feel like you’re on holiday in Schiphol, even if it’s 5 in the morning and it’s still dark outside.”
more opportunities
Psychologist, sexologist, and relationship therapist Jolyon Spoelstra also thinks that free time boosts those summer butterflies and feelings of lust. “In general, a lot of people lack the time to approach other people and be open to flirting and sex. In the summer, that’s the time. And then in the summer there are all kinds of fun things.” , like festivals, where you can meet new people easily. There are just more opportunities.”
She thinks that there are more sexual stimuli. “People wear less, dress more naked, they show more of themselves.” Indeed, temptation is everywhere.
Light, nude clothing also makes us feel better, says love expert Bosch-Kuiper: “You feel better and you look like that, or vice versa: You look good and you feel like that. Sexy, alluring.” . It does something for you.” … you start to act more confidently. Nose for air, chest out – here I am. ,
better in your skin
Psychologist Spoelstra confirms that many people are indeed more comfortable in their own skin in the summer than in the winter. “In the winter, people are often a little more tired and depressed. In the summer, we usually feel happier and more energetic. It’s warmer and milder, we spend more time outside and do more.” So it should come as no surprise that summer is the quintessential season in which flies and love blossoms.
that’s how you score that summer love
Finally, do the experts have any tips for nailing the love of summer? Spoelstra: “Do lots of fun stuff, take a good look around you and make eye contact. And believe in yourself, you radiate that: someone as attractive as anything as you walk out into the world with confidence.” Not there.”
Bosch-Kuiper confirms the latter. “And the better you feel, the better someone else probably feels. Mention that, be generous with the compliments. Everyone loves getting compliments. Just say: Jeez, that dress/shirt looks great on you.” Tell the other person what you would like to do. Listen to yourself. And if you find that exciting, you can even just smile, put down your sunglasses and wink a wink.”