The people who push out holiday movies have now released one for those of you who witness a major drop in your libido around the wintertime. Hot Frosty, the most sexualized Christmas movie you’ll ever see, is about a sexy snowman who comes to life — and apparently, the movie is guaranteed to warm everyone up and get them in the mood. Sex therapist Dr. Laura Berman even went so far as to say it’s a “version” of women’s porn — something that some of us might need more of this winter.
“It’s pretty common to see a drop in desire and sexual activity in the winter time — especially around the holidays,” she tells TMZ. “Not only for the holiday blues but also because of the holiday stress.”
A lot of bad things happen in the winter. It gets ridiculously cold out, the sun starts to set earlier and earlier, and as if that isn’t bad enough, sometimes Seasonal Affective Disorder will come and wreak havoc on your mental health. For some people, winter is a recipe for sadness and a big change to their sex drive — but it’s not always the change you’d expect.
You’d think that all the ingredients for potential depression would equate to a severely lowered libido, but the reality is that humans are a lot more complex than you’d think. For example, winter makes me want to be cuddled up with someone. Do you know what happens when I’m spooning someone? Let’s just say it doesn’t take long for it to turn into an entirely different evening.
Still, if cuddling or binging Netflix’s latest rom-com doesn’t do it for you, how can you cure this season’s dry spell?
How Does Winter Impact Sex Drive?
“There are the two extremes and everything in between when it comes to sex drives,” Gabriela Reyes, LMFT and resident relationship expert for Chispa (a Latin dating app), tells Betches. “It can vary very widely. Even what’s considered normal can vary widely from person to person.”
Reyes explains that seasons can affect our bodies and the way we think about sex — in fact, sometimes they respond before we even have a clue what they’re responding to. But if you’re looking for a straightforward answer to how a season like winter might affect your sex drive, you probably won’t find one.
“There are quite a bit of contradictory studies out there about whether reduced sunlight and lower temperatures can lead to lower or higher testosterone levels in men,” Reyes explains. And as you know, a change in testosterone levels can have a pretty direct impact on your sex drive. At the same time, Reyes says that there are also studies out there that state that winter lowers serotonin levels, which can actually increase sex drive. Go figure.
The reality is anything in our lives can affect our libidos, from things as small as what you ate today to huge life events like a friend passing or getting a new job. And while you might assume that certain things will have a very specific, clear-cut result on how much you want to have sex, it simply doesn’t work that way. So, while something like the cold and dark atmosphere of winter might totally affect your sex drive, it just might not do it in the way you expect. The important thing is to pay attention to your body and how it changes with respect to your everyday life. If you notice something drastic happening in either direction, it could be a good idea to check in with yourself and see how you feel.
How To Increase Libido During Winter Months
But if you are one of the people who experience a dip in your libido during the winter time (and you’re not a fan of it), there are plenty of ways to recharge your sex drive.
“Exercise, spend time in the sunlight, wear clothes that make you feel sexy, read a smutty romance novel, flirt with your partner or a stranger you find attractive, take the time to express appreciation for your own body, masturbate, etc,” Reyes advises. Or, you know, enjoy a certain snowman-turned-human take his shirt off over and over again (thank you, Dustin Milligan).
You just want to make sure that you’re facing whatever problems arise head-on. “If the dip is lower than you’d like, and you’re unable to raise it by incorporating small changes, I would consider seeing a sex therapist,” Reyes says.
And if the winter months seem to have the opposite effect on your sex drive, well… enjoy!
