Rising temperatures = less sex?

Global warming can lower your sex drive says a new study.

You should start taking global warming seriously as it's probably impacting your life in more ways than you can imagine.

The research suggests that as the temperatures increase, people may feel less inclined to have sex or, as the report from the National Bureau of Economic Research more delicately puts it, their "coital frequency" could diminish, the Independent reported.

The research reveals that nine months after a particularly hot day, the birth rate tails off significantly, coming in 0.7 per cent lower than it would after a cooler day.

This indicates that rising temperatures either reduce fertility, decrease appetite for intercourse or, quite possibly, both.

Extreme heat leads to a sizeable fall in births, the researchers said, adding that temperature extremes could affect coital frequency.

It could affect hormone levels and sex drives.

Alternatively, high temperatures may adversely affect reproductive health or semen quality on the male side, or ovulation on the female side.

Tulane University's report author Alan Barreca said that the decline in birth rates is a very serious issue for countries, like the United States and the UK, which have below-replacement birth rates.

"This will put a lot of strain on social insurance programmes, like social security, because it will create large imbalances in the make-up of the population."

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Bryan Brenneman of Sheridan, OR, USA/Creative Commons