Relationships3 min(s) read
Published 08:59 27 May 2026 GMT
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.
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.
“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.”
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.”
