Summer:
Do You Get Lucky More...
or Is It All Just Hype?

Is it the tan? The extra free time? Hormones going into overdrive thanks to the sunshine? Or is it simply that after a couple of mojitos, everyone suddenly looks a fair bit fitter?

There's a pretty widespread belief that summer is officially cuffing-off season. The time of year when bedframes get a proper workout and July and August bring not just soaring temperatures... but a spike in horizontal activity too.

But do people actually have more sex in summer? Or is it just another case of all sizzle and no steak?

We decided to look into it.

Does Summer Get You in the Mood? — The Case for "Yes"

There are a few arguments in favour of a bit of summer hanky-panky. Some have actual science behind them. Others... well, let's just say they're backed by the sort of research you'd find in a teen magazine.

1. Sunshine does its bit.
   
   More time in the sun means more vitamin D. Some studies have linked higher vitamin D levels with increased testosterone—the hormone most commonly associated with male sex drive.
   
   Sunlight also boosts endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin, all of which make us feel happier, more relaxed and, let's be honest, a little more up for a bit of fun.
   
   
2. Tinder says so.
   
   Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Grindr all report more downloads and longer average usage during the summer months.
   
   Sure, loads of people insist they're "just browsing" or "only on there to meet new people". But where there's smoke...
   
   
3. It's just human nature.
   
   Less clothing. More skin. Better weather. More holidays. More festivals. More nights out. More opportunities to meet people.
   
   Add the fact you're somewhere nobody knows you, and it's hardly surprising that holiday flings become a thing.
   
   
4. The holiday effect.
   
   No work routine. No alarm clock. No deadlines.
   
   When life slows down, so do our inhibitions. We're generally more relaxed, more open to new experiences and much more likely to go with the flow.

The Case for "No"

On the flip side, there's plenty that pokes holes in the whole "everyone's at it in summer" theory.

• It's just too bloody hot

When the temperature goes through the roof, most of us can barely be bothered to move.

All you really want is a fan pointed directly at you and enough energy left to reach for the TV remote—or your phone.

And if the heat wrecks your sleep, lower energy levels and poorer wellbeing don't exactly scream "romantic evening".

• Condom sales actually fall

Despite the summer marketing campaigns, condom sales tend to dip over the warmer months. The biggest sales peak actually happens around Valentine's Day.

• Babies aren't made in summer

Birth rates don't peak nine months after the summer holidays.

In fact, they tend to peak around nine months after the cold, dark months when everyone's wrapped up indoors under a blanket.

• We're having less sex anyway

Generation after generation, people are having less sex than their parents—and certainly less than their grandparents.

Porn? Masturbation? Dating apps? Maybe having everything at our fingertips makes "the forbidden" less exciting.

Whatever the reason, the sheets aren't getting nearly as much action as they used to.

So... What's the Verdict?

We couldn't find any serious evidence showing that people actually have more sex in summer.

The research simply isn't conclusive.

Then Why Are We So Convinced?

Because summer has the best marketing department on Earth.

It's the one time of year when everyone feels this quiet pressure to have an unforgettable experience: a holiday romance, an epic night out or, at the very least, a story worth telling once you're back at work.

And those are the only stories anyone ever shares.

Nobody posts about spending three days starfished in front of a fan, arguing with their partner over whose turn it is to buy ice, or going to bed at ten because they wanted to beat the crowds to the beach the next morning.

When all you ever see are everyone else's highlights, it's easy to come to one conclusion:

Everyone else had a steamier summer than you did.

So if you've been lucky this summer, good on you.

And if the wettest thing you've experienced is the waistband of your swim shorts after your last dip, that's perfectly fine too.

Because, in the end, the biggest summer myth might not be that people have more sex.

It might simply be believing that everyone else is... except you.

P.S. This post is sponsored by Giggleberries, our intimate wash for men.

We can't promise you'll have a busier summer... but if the opportunity does come along, at least you'll be ready for it.