Previously, we've postulated why women look more like "girlfriend material" in the fall, but science might be able to back us up. Because it turns out, in the fall, there really is something in the air.
You've probably noticed that in the winter you eat more, put on more weight, and sleep longer; that in the spring, your feelings are heightened; in the autumn, you feel meloncholy; and in summer you feel more reckless. It's been proven that humans follow the cycle of the seasons in growth, their hormones, blood pressure, immune systems, sleep and body temperatures. Till Roenneberg is a professor in Chronobiology, meaning he studies how our biological rhythms affect our physiology and behavior, and he has dedicated his life to these studies.
Autumn, Roenneberg says, totally bums people out, what with all the colds and changing leaves reminding us of death and passing, and wind and rain. And what do we do to bounce back from that? We seek to create more warmth on the inside by having sex - deep, tender lovemaking that involves lots of talking and caressing. (Different than that frantic, flirty sex you had during summer storms.)
That's not the only thing going on - activity in the right frontal lobe, where sadness, fear and aggression live, declines, while the four small areas in the brain that produce feelings of tenderness are well supplied with blood. Dopamine (the "happiness hormone" that makes you feel like you have butterflies in your stomach) increases.
And sure, it's dark earlier, but all the more reason to find someone to share the darkness with, right? Roenneberg should start a psychic hotline and tell clients they are about to enter a season of staying in, cooking more calorie-heavy meals, and talking, too. Because chronobiology has unearthed that those are other things we crave as things start to get chilly outside.
Posted by Smooches
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