We think spring is the season of love, summer smells of monoi and salty kisses… Wrong. Autumn is the real hot season – when desire awakens under plaids, testosterone rises and mystery makes a comeback.
In short, get ready: the leaves are falling, not your sex appeal.
The myth of springtime love
It was long believed that desire blossomed with the buds. However, studies contradict the legend: it’s not in spring that the libido explodes, but in autumn. Blame it on (or blame it on) our hormones, which live their best life when the days get shorter.
According to several studies carried out in Norway and Germany, testosterone reaches its annual peak between September and November, in both men and women. This hormone, which we associate with desire, confidence and motivation, is responsible for the renewed energy and attraction we feel when the light fades.
Some researchers speak of a ” rutting instinct” inherited from our mammalian ancestors: autumn would be a propitious season for reproduction, as conditions are ideal. Others point to a drop in the well-being hormone serotonin, which triggers a need for emotional warmth to compensate. The result: our bodies crave contact, our brains crave cuddles, and all this often ends up… under the comforter.
And, contrary to popular belief, it’s not just a question of male hormones: women, too, experience this surge of autumnal desire. A number of studies have shown that, on average, female libido increases by 20% at this time of year. Perhaps because autumn is the time when we finally feel like slowing down… and enjoying ourselves.
Autumn’s hormonal boost
Autumn is a kind of sexual reboot season. After the excesses of summer and the heat that knocks out more than it excites, the body starts to function optimally again. Temperatures drop, skin breathes, hormones align: desire becomes more stable, deeper, more connected.
American psychologist Jena Pincott, reporting for the Huffington Post, explains that autumn acts as a “hormonal starter”: testosterone rises, libido follows, and the drop in light awakens the need for closeness. It’s a mix of biology and psychology: when we lack sunshine, we seek warmth elsewhere. And nothing warms you up like a body.
In fact, some sexologists note that couples resume more regular sexual activity between October and December. Fewer distractions, more cocooning moments: the weather does the work for us.
When cold brings bodies together
The air is getting colder, the evenings are getting longer, and everything becomes an excuse to stick together. Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have shown that the colder it is, the more attracted we are to romantic films. Our brain associates physical cold with a lack of emotional warmth. So it compensates.
And that’s not all: according to another Yale University study, holding a warm object (like a cup of chocolate) makes you more generous and emotionally open. We also perceive others as more benevolent. That’s why a simple “come and have a cup of hot chocolate” can turn into a hot date.
Add to this the decor: candles, plaids, golden lights, spicy fragrances. Autumn stimulates all the senses. The eye soothes, the sense of smell awakens, the skin craves contact. Sensuality becomes a slow art, a subtle rise in temperature.
The cuffing season: seasonal contract or true bond?
Welcome to the cuffing season, which runs from October to March.
The idea: find someone to keep you warm through the winter. A fixed-term love affair, like sharing a blanket until spring.
But contrary to cliché, the cuffing season isn’t necessarily a temporary plan.
According to Tinder, conversations are 18% longer in winter than in spring, and 46% of users say they are looking for a serious relationship during this period. The atmosphere is more authentic: fewer games, more depth. When it’s raining outside, you don’t want to play cat-and-mouse, you want someone to warm up with for real.
And then, physical proximity plays its part: cuddles, plaids, the smell of skin… All this stimulates the production ofoxytocin, the hormone of attachment. We snuggle to keep warm, we stay for the bond.
The mystery effect: the more you cover up, the more you attract
Summer shows off, autumn suggests. And that’s precisely what boosts desire.
A study published in Perception (2008) showed that men find women more attractive in winter than in summer. Why do men find women more attractive in winter than in summer? Because the skin hides, and the imagination reawakens.
When everything is visible, the eye tires. When the body is revealed, the brain is activated. Seduction becomes a game again: we look at the hands protruding from a coat, the mouth reddened by the cold, the nape of the neck hidden under a scarf. The charm becomes slow, hushed and full of mystery.
And that’s terribly sexy.
The hygge version of love: fidelity, the new sexy attitude
Autumn also means the return of the cocoon. We slow down, cook and light candles.
This philosophy from Denmark, known as ” hygge”, advocates simple happiness: a plaid, soft light, someone you love.
This need for cocooning nourishes a more intimate sensuality. We rediscover ourselves in a different way, without pressure.
And science confirms this change: lower light levels promote the secretion of oxytocin and melatonin, strengthening attachment and tenderness. Less temptation, more complicity.
The result: as the thermometer falls, loyalty rises. You don’t feel like flitting around anymore. You want to settle down, build things up and enjoy the peace and quiet. Relationships born in autumn often have this rare quality: they are solid, sincere and made to last beyond the cold season.
A final word
Autumn is not a cold season: it’s an excuse to rekindle the fire. It’s a time when bodies warm up, looks soften and we rediscover the pleasure of slow time.
If spring brings out the flowers, autumn brings out the fantasies. So forget the gloom and the dead leaves: there’s much more to fall for this autumn.
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