10 Reasons Why Winter Is the Ideal Time for Online Dating

If you’ve been warming up to the idea of finding someone to settle down with, then you might want to jump on some dating apps when it’s chilly outside for the best luck. 

Here are 10 reasons why winter is the ideal season for online dating. 

1. It can be a lonely time of year if you’re single

The winter can be a romantic season for lovers. Pumpkin picking, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and other holidays are extra fun if you’re spending them partnered up, swapping gifts, and going to parties together. For those who are still single during this time, you might be feeling a stronger urge to get into a relationship. This is especially true after the holidays are all over and you’re hanging at home by yourself.

Don’t get us wrong, being single has its perks. But a lot of people feel this way come wintertime and head to the apps to start talking to someone new. Research supports this claim, too. Dating.com conducted a winter dating survey among its users and found a 30% increase in overall platform activity between November and February. 55% of participants also reported that they’re much more likely to jump on dating sites when it’s cold outside. 

2. There’s a higher chance of meeting your special someone online

More people are on dating apps during the winter, which improves the odds of finding someone to connect with. Leaders in the space like Zoosk, eHarmony, Match.com, Bumble, and Grindr have also announced that the number of users on their app spike during the colder months and at the beginning of the year. “Dating Sunday” has even become a thing for this reason — it’s the busiest day of the year for apps, which lands on the first Sunday of every year. 

The more people on the apps, the bigger the dating pool and the higher your chance of finding a potential partner. This just goes to show that winter is statistically the best time of the year for online dating for LGBTQ+ singles, people of color, and seniors alike.

3. Online dating during the winter can boost your mood

Winter can be a dreary time of year for many folks. Between the gray skies and chilly weather — as well as experiencing seasonal depression and hibernating indoors — people’s moods are bound to take a hit. But online dating might be able to cheer you up.

According to a survey of 2000 users between the ages of 21 and 40 conducted by dating.com, 75% of participants experience feeling isolated and lonely during the winter months. Out of that 75% of people, 69% of them noted that they felt less lonely after they matched with a potential partner online.

Nothing like a good dose of serotonin after matching with someone new and having an exciting conversation with a sexy stranger!

4. Virtual dates just make more sense

Why leave the comfort of your warm apartment to go on a possibly expensive first date in-person with someone who you might not even like? Save your time, energy, and body heat by staying inside and doing a virtual first date! This way you can wait to see if you even like them before you commit to meeting for dinner, coffee, or something else face-to-face.

If the virtual meeting goes well, that’s awesome. Then you can take things one step further and meet them in person. In the meantime, date virtually from the warmth and comfort of your own home. 

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5. You can get creative with dates

Not into the whole virtual date thing? That’s okay. The winter season is the perfect time to get more creative with your date ideas.

Are you meeting someone for the first time? Cook a romantic dinner together with ingredients and instructions from a meal delivery service. Do you want to get more comfortable and intimate on the second or third date? Netflix and chill with indoor ‘smores, a cozy weighted blanket, and a movie neither of you have seen yet. You can also go the traditional route and do some classic winter dates, like ice skating, going to see Christmas lights, and bundling up to go for a walk with some hot chocolate.

6. There’s not much else to do

Who wants to go out to the bars when the weather is freezing? Well, a lot of people don’t. So they sit inside and swipe on the dating apps to pass the time.

If it’s snowing outside, all of your friends are hibernating to save money for summer trips, or you just have nothing better to do, downloading an online dating app can be a great use of your time. You can meet new people from your couch, and if you get lucky, you might just start talking to someone who wants to spend their free time with you this winter and beyond.

7. Everyone’s rethinking their goals and priorities

With extra downtime comes extra time to think about the reality of your current situation. This means relationships can be on your radar.

Are you really happy at your full-time job? Do you really want to keep partying on the weekends? Would you rather stay home, cook dinner, watch mindless TV shows, and cuddle up on the couch with the love of your life? These are all things to reflect on. A lot of people realize that they don’t want to spend another winter or year single. Once they figure out where their priorities lie and what they really want out of life, they find that they want a romantic relationship and resort to the apps to start looking for a potential partner.

8. People are off from school and work

Teachers, students, and other people who go to school or work during the year typically have off for the holidays and winter break. Oftentimes, this means that they travel to visit their family and friends. This might mean that more new people are in your area who may not be popping up in your searches at other times of the year.

If you use an app like Tinder with Passport capabilities, you can see that some singles live hundreds of miles away, so be careful. But if you’re looking for a casual fling, some short-term winter fun, or you’re okay with having a long-distance relationship, there could be plenty of new singles to connect with on the apps during this time.

9. There’s minimal pressure

During the summertime, the stakes are high. People are feeling good, drinking at the bars, relaxing on the beach, and making plans nonstop to take full advantage of the nice weather. This can make it easier to meet people, but it’s also challenging to squeeze into someone’s busy schedule.

On the other hand, people are way less busy during the colder weather. Sure, they might focus on work and see friends occasionally. But it’s snowy, cold, and boring outside. Winter is a low-pressure time to come up with elaborate plans or fight to get on a date’s calendar. So the fact that you’ve even bothered to venture out of your apartments to meet for a date is a pretty big deal. And if it doesn’t work out? No problem. Your comfortable, warm home awaits you.

10. It’s cold outside

Plain and simple: If you couldn’t already tell from the many times we’ve said it, depending on where you live, winter is cold and your apartment is warm. People are less likely to leave the house when the weather gets chillier. After all, everything you need is inside — food, blankets, TV, and a phone that will connect you with anything in the outside world within seconds from the comfort of your own home.

So instead of venturing out into the snow, or into the air that’s so cold that it hurts your face, to meet new people at a bar, club, or event, why not stay inside and try to meet people from under a weighted blanket in bed? If the data above tells us anything, chances are high that other singles are doing the exact same thing, which means that your odds of finding a potential date who you can stay inside with all winter long are high as well.

It’s Time to Jump on an App

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why winter is the ideal time for online dating. But of course, you don’t have to wait until winter to date. Any time of the year can be the best time of the year whenever you find that person you’ve been looking for.

Whether it’s freezing cold or scorching hot outside, consider jumping on one of the best online dating apps to increase your chances of settling down with someone new this winter.