HOLIDAY HIGH

How to tell if your holiday fling is something more

- Madison Bogisch

Longer days, warmer nights and some much-needed time off work – summer is literally one of the hottest times to pencil a few dates.

And if, in the whirlwind of dating over the break, you end up entangled in a summer romance, we wouldn't blame you.

“When you are on holiday, your brain is flooded with novelty and dopamine, and often your most stressful task is choosing between the piña colada or the margarita,” psychologist and My Thriving Mind founder Veronica West explains.

“Over Christmas, we add in a heavy dose of nostalgia and the general cultural pressure for festive magic [and we become] super susceptible to quick, intense attachments.”

So if you've found yourself with a summer fling, what are the signs it will make it into the cooler months?

THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND THE ‘HOLIDAY GOGGLES’

West explains we're more inclined to let a romance bloom over the summer break thanks to cognitive bias.

“You are meeting someone when they are at their absolute peak: well-rested, financially flush – they're on holiday, after all – and stress-free,” she says.