Forget the sofa and a takeaway. If you woke up on New Year's Day with more amorous intentions, you were part of a global trend. Fresh data has confirmed that January 1 is officially the most popular day for sex across the world.
Why New Year's Day Beats Valentine's for Intimacy
The surprising finding comes from the annual analysis by the period and ovulation tracking app, Clue. By examining users' logged sexual activity throughout 2025, the app discovered that the first day of the year saw a significant peak, outperforming traditional romantic occasions like Valentine's Day and summer holidays.
Dr Charis Chambers, Clue's chief medical officer, notes that while it surprises some, the trend reflects a fundamental truth about our wellbeing. "It reflects something fundamental about how our bodies and minds work," she explains. The key ingredients, she suggests, are the rare combination of 'time, rest, and proximity to those we care about' that the holiday often provides.
Sex and relationships psychotherapist Gigi Engle elaborates, stating our libido is highly responsive to our state of mind. It spikes when we shift out of 'survival mode'. "With fewer obligations, fewer demands, and more physical closeness with our partners, our stress-responses are able to take a back seat," she says. This relaxed context is, from a psychophysiological perspective, far more supportive of desire than the pressured expectations that can accompany a day like Valentine's.
The Proof is in the September Birth Rates
This data is corroborated by birth statistics in the UK. September is consistently the most popular month for births, according to the Office for National Statistics. Notably, September 26th has been the most common birthday over the last twenty years—a date that falls precisely 39 weeks and two days after Christmas Day, suggesting conception around the New Year period.
Eight of the top ten birth dates occur in late September, with the other two in early October. Some couples may consciously aim for this timing due to perceived academic advantages, as research indicates children born earlier in the school year, like in September, can perform better academically than their younger classmates.
Not Everyone Feels the Spark
Experts are quick to highlight that this trend is not universal. Gigi Engle reminds us that New Year's Day can be emotionally loaded for many. "It can be marked by anxiety, reflection, or dread about what’s ahead. Stress doesn’t look the same for everyone, and neither does desire," she says. The recorded spike in app data could also be influenced by people's New Year's resolutions to track their health more diligently, with engagement potentially dropping off later.
Conversely, Clue's data also pinpointed a global libido low point on September 10. Experts link this dip to heightened global anxiety and stress from events occurring on that date, including escalated conflict, political unrest, and significant news events, demonstrating how directly external pressures can suppress sexual desire.
The core takeaway from the data is not that everyone is seeking sex as the clock strikes midnight, but a potent reminder of how essential downtime and reduced stress are for intimacy and wellbeing. When the nervous system is allowed to pause, connection often naturally follows.
