Is Cuffing Season Really a Thing?

Winter is in full swing. It’s cold outside and dark all the time. You find yourself feeling lonely and wanting a relationship. If you feel this urge, you’re not alone; the colder months signal cuffing season. First coined in 2011, the term “cuffing” refers to being “handcuffed” to someone else, i.e., being in a serious relationship. But is cuffing season really a thing?

The answer? Evidence suggests that cuffing season might actually be real.

Serial dating takes too much effort in the winter

People naturally slow down in the fall and winter. While summer is a super busy time where you’re constantly out with your friends, all you want to do in winter is Netflix and chill. Serial dating just takes way too much effort during this time.

Biologically, melatonin levels in your brain increase during the winter due to the shorter days. When melatonin is elevated, you feel lazier. This means that you probably prefer hanging out by yourself indoors than going to a loud, crowded bar.

It’s about hormones, too

So, why are you more likely to want to get into a serious relationship during the colder, darker months? A lot has to do with your hormone levels. Testosterone rises in November. While researchers are unsure as to why hormones fluctuate, it might be due to residual mating habits related to many other mammals.

Elevated hormones can trigger the desire to want to be paired off in a serious relationship. In fact, online dating tends to hit its peak season during the winter. Research indicates that men are more attracted to women in colder months than in summer months, too.

…And laziness

Cuffing season is all about finding one person to satisfy your basic human needs during the lazier months of the year. A lot of people’s desires to seek out a relationship in the wintertime is because it takes less effort than dating around a lot.

Do you want to snatch up a significant other during cuffing season? First, look inward and reflect on all your past relationships. Make a list of dealbreakers and what you value in a relationship. Then go out and find that person who ticks all your boxes.