As a May heatwave grips Europe, many are experiencing unprecedented temperatures at this time of year, but this swelter is still no deterrent for horny couples, with the sun’s vitamin D-emitting rays famously increasing sex drive.

With the heat elevating estrogen and testosterone levels, resulting in a coital spike, there is one position experts warn to ditch in this warmth.

What do the experts say about keeping cool during sex?

Esteemed sex therapist and author, Marisa Peer, has given her tips on how to stay cool as things get steamy with your partner(s).

Speaking to The Mirror, Peer said: “Sex is meant to a be a hot and steamy affair, but us Brits aren’t used to dealing with a heatwave and tend to wilt when the temperature goes into overdrive.”

Marisa’s first suggestion was to keep the curtains and blinds closed during the day in order to prevent the room from overheating.

Therapist says missionary is one position to avoid. Credit: Flashpop / Getty

“Only open them when the sun is no longer shining directly through your windows,” she suggests.

“When it’s time to go to bed, you should find your bedroom is a cool and welcoming sanctuary.”

Another tactic Marisa has said could be advisable to keep lovemaking as cool as possible is dampening your sheets. “If the heat in your bedroom is unbearable, try dampening your top sheet with cold water.

“Not only will it give your love-making a thrill but it will bring down the temperature of the entire room,” she claimed.

Alternatively, Marisa promotes incorporating cold water and ice during foreplay and sex to add a chilled component to an otherwise raunchy affair, which, paradoxically, adds a layer of heat.

“Using ice as part of foreplay can be erotic in its own right, but during the hot weather, having a bucket of ice to hand, especially if it has a bottle of bubbly chilling in it, can be a godsend,” she added.

“Another option is to fill a spray bottle with iced water, which can be very sexy when you spray it on each other during your hottest moments.”

Advice to couples on the dos and don'ts for sex during the heatwave

Shower sex is already a popular choice amongst couples, and Marisa encourages partners to indulge in this even more during the summer heat.

“Having sex in a cool shower is a great way to avoid the heat and also the perfect way to recover from the blistering temperatures outside.”

However, it is not just what can be added during sex that can help with the temperatures, according to Peer.

She also advises that certain positions can be avoided, due to them exacerbating heat, with missionary identified as one to abstain from.

“It’s not best for keeping you cool because being so close together builds up greater heat and sweaty bodies sticking together,” Marisa added.

“With this in mind, positions which do not require such close proximity to one another is advised.”

Featured Image. Credit: Flashpop / Getty

A gynecologist has shared their advice on the worst places to have sex - and chances are, you might have tried at least one of them.

Many people choose to spice up their sex lives by varying the location - even if that just means doing it on the sofa instead of the bed.

But it turns out there can be a right and wrong place to get down with your partner, and the consequences can be pretty uncomfortable.

Dr. Kath Whitton, a CREI fertility specialist, gynecologist, and obstetrician, revealed that there's a few common mistakes many people make in the heat of the moment.

A gynecologist issued a warning against having sex in certain places. Credit: franckreporter / Getty Images

She told Body+Soul: "We spend a lot of time discussing with whom and how, but where almost never comes up, and it genuinely matters."

It should come as no surprise that many of the worst places to have sex involve water or heat - both of which can wreak havoc with the vagina, leading to an increased risk of things like UTIs, thrush, and even bacterial vaginosis.

Dr. Whitton adds: "The reason comes down to how the vagina works. A healthy vaginal environment is naturally mildly acidic and carefully balanced to keep harmful bacteria in check."

Hot tubs and spas

Topping Dr. Whitton's list is hot tubs and spa pols - particularly if they are for use by the public.

She explained: "Research has found that around 67 per cent of hot tubs and 63 per cent of swimming pools test positive for a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa at any given time."

This nasty bug is known for causing hot tub folliculitis - a pustular skin rash that is concentrated in the groin and vulvar region.

The doctor added: "During sexual activity, where small skin abrasions are common, it can also make its way into the urinary tract."

As if that wasn't warning enough, the warmth of the water also breaks down disinfectants faster, meaning that those shared hot tubs are usually a lot more contaminated with bacteria than people realize.

Hot tubs are a big no-no. Credit: fotostorm/Getty Images

Rivers, lakes, and estuaries

Just because it's a natural body of water doesn't mean it is any safer than a hot tub, however, as there can be some pretty nasty things hiding there too.

Unlike swimming pools, which are usually treated or disinfected, whatever is in a natural body of water is "completely uncontrolled".

Dr. Whitton warns: "These waterways can carry E. coli, norovirus, and other bacteria spread through fecal contamination from animals, agricultural runoff and other swimmers.

"Even swimming in these environments carries documented infection risk."

As for having sex in this environment, it exposes the mucosa to bacteria, which is also pushed towards the urethra, and as the vagina and bladder are closely connected, this could trigger a UTI or "make recurrent UTIs more likely."

Chlorinated pools

So if untreated bodies of water aren't safe, you'd assume chlorinated pools would be fine, right?

Unfortunately not.

While they are safer than hot tubs or rivers, Dr Whitton warns they're not guaranteed not to cause problems.

She warned: "Pool water is significantly more alkaline than the vagina’s natural environment, and chlorine is a chemical irritant to the delicate tissue of the vulva and vaginal lining.

"Research published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada found that women who swam regularly in chlorinated pools had more disrupted vaginal bacteria than those using saltwater or brominated pools."

Sex on the beach is not recommended. Credit: Vicki Smith / Getty Images

The beach

Hot weather, a nice tan, and maybe a few cocktails can all make you feel more frisky than usual, but getting down on the beach probably isn't a great idea - and it's not just the risk of being pulled up for public indecency.

According to Dr. Whitton, the problem is the sand as it can cause "physical damage" by making tiny abrasions to the sensitive skin around the vulva and perineum.

She adds: "Once sand gets near the vaginal opening it’s remarkably hard to clear completely. Those small skin breaks make infection easier to establish."

As well as the risk of irritation and infection, it could also increase the risk of pregnancy as it makes condom use "practically difficult", meaning the condom is far more likely to fail.

Natural hot springs

While they may look incredible, hot springs are probably best used as a nice photo for Instagram rather than a location to have sex in.

Due to the pH and mineral content being "uncontrolled and variable", hot springs can harbor bacteria, parasites and amoebae.

As well as the bugs, the heat can also compromise the reliability of condoms, and sex in thermal waters is known to increase rates of vaginal infections, UTIs, and thrush, according to research.

A hot car

If you simply can't wait to make it indoors before ripping each other's clothes off, you might want to rethink having sex inside the car, especially if it's hot.

According to Dr. Whitton: "Synthetic seat fabric causes friction, the heat creates ideal conditions for thrush-causing yeast, elevated temperatures degrade latex condoms and there’s no bathroom access afterwards.

"It’s the combination of all many factors that makes it a problem."

Many people switch up the location to spice up their sex life. Credit: eclipse_images / Getty Images

Another general point Dr. Whitton makes is that any location without a bathroom nearby isn't the most ideal place to have sex.

Peeing after intercourse flushes bacteria away from the urethra before it can travel to the bladder, and is one of the most crucial things to do to lessen the risk of UTIs.

And if you're desperate to get frisky in the presence of water, Dr. Whitton recommends the shower as the least-risky option, as the genitals are only briefly exposed to the water rather than it "pooling" around them.

There are still a few things to be wary of in the shower, though, as the main concern is the risk of slipping, and the decrease of natural lubrication, which can be combated by a silicone-based lubricant which won't wash away with the water.

While the prospect of adventurous sex might be appealing, Dr. Whitton believes that sometimes the safest options can be the most rewarding.

She adds: "It sounds obvious, but it’s worth saying out loud because ‘adventurous’ has become culturally synonymous with ‘better,’ and from a health standpoint, that’s not always true."

Featured image credit: franckreporter / Getty Images

This hot weather can cause many of us to lose our cool and start to behave in an irrational manner in order to lower our body temperatures. We've already reported on freezable bra inserts for women and freezable boxers for men, but now health experts have urged women not to insert ice lollies into their vaginas in an effort to cool off.

Yes, it is the health warning many of us never thought we'd have to hear, but it turns out some women are getting so desperate in this heat, that they may be reaching for the first phallic-shaped thing they find in the freezer drawer.

But now several health experts have spoken out about the dangers of inserting foods and foreign objects into your hoo-hah, including ice lollies.

Speaking to the Metro, Dr Sarah Welsh, the co-founder of condom manufacturers HANX, said:

"The vagina is composed of very delicate and sensitive skin, hence, things that may seem innocent to other areas of the body, if they come in contact with the vagina, can cause infections, irritations, and damage.

"There are many things that should never go near a vagina, and ice lollies are up there. The ice can stick to the delicate skin of the vagina and cause real trauma and damage.

"What’s more, putting any foodstuff inside your vagina can introduce microbes, disrupting its normal balance and allowing an environment for bacteria to grow and infections to develop."

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Another issue would be if the ice lolly were to break away from the stick and become stuck - which would not only feel uncomfortable but harm your lady parts.

In addition, Dr Shree Datta, a consultant gynecologist at MyHealthcare Clinic provided more appropriate suggestions:

"My advice would be to avoid any foreign bodies in the vagina for risk of infection. I would suggest loose cotton underwear and avoiding tight clothing to prevent any irritation and dermatitis developing.

"A cool shower (without internal douching) and keeping well hydrated should suffice."

So, if your starting to burn up during the heatwave, remember that Mr. Freeze is just a food, and should only go in your mouth!

While it's inherently natural and the reason why we're all here alive and kicking, sex sure can be complicated. As anyone who has ever dabbled in the horizontal jog will surely attest, you're not guaranteed to get off every time, and regardless of how attracted you are to your current partner, you're not always going to be in the mood for it either.

While these are all things that can be worked around, other sexual activities can have more disastrous consequences. Certainly, if you're in a long-term relationship, there's a good chance that your sex life will start to feel routine, and eventually rather stale. And to reignite the fire, many couples decide to mix up their sex life - swapping out missionary position for something decidedly more risqué.

But with all good things comes danger, and sex, unfortunately, isn't exempt from this rule.

The most dangerous sex position for your penis has been revealed and unsurprisingly it's cowgirl. I'm sure everyone's familiar with this popular move, but in case you're uncertain - it's when a man lies on his back and his partner gets on top, riding him akin to one of those mechanical bulls you always see in movies but never in real life.

This is the riskiest position to do the deed in because penises, when erect, point upwards. This, combined with the fact that there's a lot of downward pressure on it during the move (and in all of the other variations of it) means that the penis is at a greater risk of breakage. Yes, I know, even typing that out made me shudder.

A study published in the journal, Advances in Urology, discovered that almost half the number of people in three hospitals in Brazil with penile fractures had gained the injury after attempting cowgirl position.
"When woman is on top she usually controls the movement with her entire body weight landing on the erect penis, not being able to interrupt it when the penis suffers a wrong-way penetration, because the harm is usually minor in women with no pain, but major in the penis," the researchers explained.
They continued, "On the contrary, when the man is controlling the movement, he has better chances of stopping the penetration energy in response to the pain related to harm to the penis, minimising it."

"Penile fracture is a relatively uncommon clinical condition that frequently causes fear and embarrassment for the patient, hypothetically resulting in a delayed search for medical assistance, which can lead to an impairment of sexual and voiding functions."

Well, there you have it gentlemen, next time you try to spice up your sex life, maybe go easy in cowgirl position - or you know, avoid it altogether.

In related news, new research reveals the incredibly easy thing everyone can do to have better sex.

New findings suggest that it’s not extreme or adventurous bedroom behavior that leads to injuries, but rather the most common, “vanilla” sex positions people assume are much safer.

We’ve all heard of them, the horror stories whereby unfortunate souls have to make the mortifying trip to ER after getting unthinkable objects lodged in compromising areas, all in the name of sexual kinks and experimentation. Yet, what if we were to tell you these cases are rarer than you think, with the boring and the beige “sexual bread and butter” far more likely to land you in a hospital waiting room?

What does the research suggest?

Research carried out by Joy Love Dolls examined data from over 1,000 people in Europe and the US who had experienced sex-related injuries. The results showed that familiar positions are responsible for a surprising number of trips to the Emergency Department at your local hospital.

Missionary with a pillow under the woman's pelvis came out as the top position. Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty

Missionary, often considered the safest option, turned out to be the most problematic for men. It was responsible for nearly 20% of male injuries and was the leading cause of fractures, alongside back pain and muscle strain. Women also experienced issues with this position, with 16.3% of injuries linked to it, including 24% of soreness and 21% of tearing.

Sex expert Scotty Unfamous explained why this happens, saying, via The Sun: “Although it’s one of the most popular positions for sex, this fan favorite is the most common way that intimate injuries occur, as it can cause some wear and tear to your joints.”

He also advised: “If you experience discomfort from how you are positioned during missionary sex, try incorporating cushions or a rolled-up towel/blanket to provide some support where you need it most, like under your hips, knees, back or shoulders.”

Despite research, escort says missionary is her client's go-to

Despite the wide variety of positions available, this news concurs with Australian escort Lilith Lodge’s assessment of what most of her clients still prefer. She told Metro: “Most clients are very basic and standard in what they want. It's not super common, definitely not a weekly event, to have clients ask for something outside of what I feel is 'normal'. It's pretty much just missionary.”

She added: “It can be very uncomfortable and not enjoyable for my clients to do crazy positions, unless they're a really young guy. Sometimes they'll ask for missionary with my feet up behind my head, (which not everyone is flexible enough to do), but that's about it.”

Overall, the research suggests that what people consider “safe” or routine may actually carry more risk than expected, making communication and awareness key to avoiding injury.

Featured Image. Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty