5 Top Signs of Sexual Tension

Constant Eye Contact

Eye contact can make you feel joy instead of fear and sadness (yes, a study proved this.) And when you’re so into each other that you can’t stop staring into each others’ eyes and you don’t feel like you need to look away (and don’t want to either), that’s when you know the chemistry is there.

Subtle Touching

A touch on the knee, brushing their hand against yours, a hand on your back… you catch the drift. It might not be a blatant arm around the shoulder or holding hands, but for a split second, you imagine what it would be like if your contact lasted longer than that. "The accidental-not-quite-an-accident touch is a sure sign that someone is attracted to you," reads a blog post about body language attraction on BetterHelp, a company that offers access to licensed therapists and other professional counselors. Personal space? Who needs that?

"Some of the signs of sexual tension people don’t typically think about include sweaty palms and finding yourself closer to that person in group settings or reasons you need to contact them more often," Needle says.

That Feeling When You’re the Only People in the Room

It can be easier to feel the energy when it’s just you two. But when you’re in a crowded room—especially doing your own thing—and you feel a pull toward that person, that’s when you know. "The build up to sexual activity through communication, flirting, or exchanged looks, can create sexual tension," Needle says.

When Your Voices Changes

It’s a scientific thing: Sexual tension can modify a person's vocal pitch. See how they speak to other people (friends, family) and then compare it to your conversations. One of the best parts? It’s something neither person can really hide.

Lingering

Hesitating a bit at the end of a date means that you don’t want to go. It can be in the form of an embrace that lasts longer than normal or stalling near your doorstep after a date (remember that one scene in the movie Hitch?) If you notice that happening, you can tell you’re probably lusting. There are social norms regarding how long you hold a hug (for your friend, a certain amount of seconds; for a friend’s partner, maybe less than that, for example.) So when you go in for an embrace and no one lets go, chances are that the sexual tension is there. Bonus points if they give you a bit more of a squeeze than normal.