Interest In Sex Increases During Christmas — According To A New Study

At this time of year, when every dinner requires second helpings and breakfast is whatever's left in the tin of Celebrations, you're not exactly at peak levels of sexy — but apparently you're more interested in sex right now than usual.

At least that's what the findings suggest from a recent study by scientists at Indiana University and the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal.

Data was analysed from nearly 130 countries that included sex-related Google search terms from 2004 to 2014 and 10% of public Twitter posts from late 2010 to early 2014. A spike in sexual interest was noted during two different religious celebrations: Christmas and Eid-al-Fitr, the Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan.

The researchers have suggested that people across the world are more in the mood for hanky-panky during the holidays because we feel happier, safer, calmer and in a "family mood".

Now we understand why they call it the most wonderful time of year.