What Happens To Every Good Relationship Come The Holidays

Fall is the season when the air gets crisp, the nights start to get longer, and you can get almost anything pumpkin-flavored. Fall is a wonderful season.

Fall or autumn, which ever you want to call the period between summer and winter, is a time when many couples focus in on their bad or good relationship and decide if it's time to breakup or continue on. Some people refer to autumn as the "make it or break it" season for relationships.

When it's the summer, there are tons of group activities — like going to the beach or barbecues — and you don't have as much time alone with your partner.

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Relationship expert for Match.com, Kate Taylor, says, "Summer is a very social time. If your affair is flagging, it's easy to dilute each other in the company of friends. If you've made plans and booked a holiday, staying together seems a lot less stressful than breaking it off. Then winter approaches, and the thought of being cooped up with one another is a different thing altogether."  

Autumn is known by some as the most romantic time of the year. Because we see so much evidence of the frailty of life, it makes us want to make deeper connections or get rid of those connections that don't do anything for us.

If the sex isn't exactly spectacular, that could really be intensified in the fall.

A study conducted by the University of Tromso showed that men tend to have higher sex drives in the fall due to spikes in their testosterone levels in October and November. This testosterone surge may be connected to ancient mating instincts, or it may be triggered by the simple fact that there's decreasing daylight, so there's plenty of time to enjoy more indoor activities. 

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Autumn affects our sex lives in surprising ways (besides the rising testosterone): men think women appear more attractive (it must be something about sweaters) and fall is primetime for baby-making. Sperm concentration and count are at their lowest in the summer due to the heat, but bounce back up in the fall. This is called Overshoot Phenomenon.

In another study that looked at the season patterns of relationships in Facebook profiles, research found that more singles changed their status to "in a relationship" or "engaged" than the yearly average.

Fall is the perfect time to focus on your relationship and really think about who you'd want to be cooped up with all winter long.

Kate Taylor says, "Ask yourself what's good about your partner. As an exercise, concentrating on their best points will help you value them, and if you can't think of any, that's pretty revealing."

It's far better to enjoy some hot apple cider while reading a good book in front of a fire by yourself than to be stuck with someone who, not only doesn't warm your heart, but leaves you far colder than the chilly night air.

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Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and astrology lover. She has written over 500 articles on the zodiac signs and how the stars influence us. She's had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Woman's Day, and is a contributing writer to Ravishly, I AM & CO, and YourTango. Check out her website, her Facebook writer's page, and her Instagram.