Horny during quarantine: where does this feeling come from?

Social distancing, quarantine, lockdown: we are currently living our lives in a way that we never did before. Because of the coronavirus, people around the world are staying home as much as possible and are keeping a distance of at least 6 feet between them and other people. And that makes us want to touch each other even more. Why is it that you get horny during quarantine?

Horny during quarantine: how does it happen?

Forums and Twitter feeds are full of them: people who are hornier than ever during this time of quarantine. Many expect a baby boom in 9 months, as well as a lot of divorces in the coming months. Why is that exactly? Are people bored because they have to stay inside all day? Are they hornier than usual? Or is something else happening right now?

More spare time

People have much more spare time now, says Dr. Justin Lehmiller. This is because they work less or not at all, or because they don’t have to commute anymore since they now work from home. But also because cafes and restaurants are closed, because you can’t go to the gym, and because most events have been cancelled. People have a lot more spare time, and boredom causes sexual arousal. Because after a while, you’ve seen your favorite Netflix shows enough times and you’ve read all your books twice.

Horny during quarantine to better cope with death

Various studies indicate that when people are contronted with death and their own immortality, they become more sexually active. As we are confronted daily with increasing numbers of hospitalizations and receive updates on how many people died because of the coronovirus, we are confronted with our own immortality every day. This causes us to feel horny during quarantine. It turns out that people also tend to take more risks during these time when it comes to sex, such as having more unprotected sex. Which is not such a great idea.

Our body needs reassurance

Psychologist and sex researcher Dulcinea Pitagora says: “Your brain craves oxytocin. That is always the case, but even more so when you feel vulnerable. For some people, that need for oxytocin manifests itself as feeling horny.”

Oxytocin is released in your body when you hug someone and it gives you a feeling of intimacy and security.

“Some people experience guilt,” Pitagora continues. “Is it okay to have sexual desires when the world is on fire?” According to her, these kinds of feelings in combination with the need for security sparks arousal. There is nothing to be ashamed of: sex is natural and normal, even in the middle of a crisis.

There isn’t anything else to do

Imagine you are in quarantine together with your lover in your own home. There is much to do: work, watch television, play games, do some gardening, help your children with their homework, keep the house clean, or read a book. But what if you are stuck together in a hotel room or a cabin on a cruise ship for two weeks? If you spend two weeks in a small room with someone, it is not surprising that you want to jump each other as often as possible.

What to do if you are horny during quarantine?

If you are in quarantine with your lover, then you’re lucky. Since you are living together in the same house, you can just keep having sex like always. The mandatory distance of 6 feet doesn’t apply to people who live together in the same household.

Online dating

For people who normally spend a large portion of their time swiping left and right on Tinder, Happn, or Grindr, the situation is a little different. Meeting each other in a bar or restaurant isn’t possible anymore. You have to stay inside and can only go out for essential things, like going to work or picking up groceries. Going on a date is of course not part of this. Tinder recommends its users to go on virtual dates. And that is very possible. You can Facetime, but you can also watch a movie together while on the phone with your date, or you can read the same book and discuss it afterwards. It takes some getting used to, but maybe it is a positive experience.  This way, you at least have an interesting story to tell your grandchildren if you are still together forty years later!

Watch a video

Are you in the mood for sex and something that triggers your imagination? It won’t come as a surprise that websites that offer porn videos, like PornHub and YouPorn, are thriving at the moment. Yet, they are taking their responsibility. PornHub is giving away free Premium subscriptions to encourage people to stay at home and YouPorn warns people to take the rules of social distancing seriously.

Having sex online

We said before that there is no reason to hide your sexuality during a crisis. Are you single or away from your partner because of the coronovirus? Discover the advantages of phone sex! This was a popular form of having sex from a distance when there were no smartphones and no internet, and it is a fun way to keep the passion burning in your relationship. And for potential partners, this is an exciting way to get to know each other as well.

Sexting is also more popular than ever at the moment. You have to do something, right? Sending each other arousing messages – with or without photos – is an exciting way to explore each other’s bodies. And how about cyber sex? Another old-fashioned way of having sex online that used to be immensely popular.

Whether you are locked up alone or together: masturbating is always an option. Trying out a new sex toy is a fun activity when you are horny during quarantine.

Will there really be a baby boom?

Maybe it’s fun to dive a little deeper into the corona baby boom predictions we talked about earlier. According to Dr. David Ley from Psychology Today, it won’t happen that quickly. Among other things, he mentions that many people stay at home with their entire family. Parents who spend their time comforting their children and helping them with their homework, don’t have time to lie in bed together all day. Furthermore, most people who are in a relationship live together with their partner. That familiar feeling offers less sexual arousal than when you have a lover, new partner, or date. Finally, people worry a lot: about their parents who are in the at-risk group and who are not allowed to have any visitors, about their job and paying their rent or mortgage, and about their own health. According to psychologist Ley, we mostly have something more important on our minds than jumping each other every moment of every day.

Does the coronavirus have a large impact on your sex life?