The Juice & the Squeeze
Seriously, “Cuffing Up” May Actually be Good for You.
Hint: it’s natural and may actually be good for you.
Winter is about being boo’d up. The winter setting seems to be designed for romantic evenings and couples — ice skating, mistletoes, New Year’s kisses. And sure you can do these with a friend, but it just isn’t the same.
Well what about those of us who are.. single?
Welcome to cuffing season. The term – which sounds either kinky or unfortunate depending on how you feel about handcuffs – refers to the period when singles look for short-term partnership to pass the colder months. Think of it as the stern cousin to the “summer fling”.
Though the term was coined in the aughts, the concept of the cuffing season is old as time, rooted in biology and evolution. Before we had central heating systems, we’d had to gather around fires and remain indoors in the cold months to avoid freezing to death; physical activity (ahem – sex) was an effective means to keep warm. Go back far enough and it was very much the “Let’s have tons of kids to help out on the farm, also a few of them might die from the plague so we should have a few extra in case that happens” mentality, too. Cold months, when the crops couldn’t grow, were a convenient time to make some kids.
What can we say, the dark ages were dark.
Anyway, as nature demands, bears hibernate for a few months during the winter and humans get into short-term relationships.
For the modern person, despite the name, cuffing season appears to also have its benefits.
Some therapists say that getting into short-term relationships during cold months might be good for us.
In the colder months, we tend to socialize less. But humans are naturally social creatures, and we need warmth, affection, and other people. Hence the need to cuff ourselves to someone to keep us company and warm, in every sense.
Studies have also shown that testosterone levels peak around October, meaning more people are wanting to engage in sexual activity, and the lack of sunlight can cause our serotonin levels to decline — something that can be counteracted by physicality with someone else.
So, is cuffing season a bad thing? No. Is it a good thing? It depends. Not every relationship needs to be forever, and if curling up with someone for a couple months makes the winter a bit easier to bear, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Just make sure you’re on the same page and stay safe.
Happy cuffing season!