We all know that online dating can be treacherous and exhausting, but if you’re looking to give it another try, today is definitely the day to open your apps.

That’s because 3rd January is this year’s “Dating Sunday”: the day of the year when dating apps expect to see a flurry of new registrations and a significant spike in traffic.

The psychology behind this is pretty simple: the New Year offers the chance of a fresh start, so many single people take the opportunity to throw themselves back into the dating pool.

On top of this, Dating Sunday 2021 is expected to be the busiest ever as folks look for love online while much of the UK remains in lockdown or lockdown-like Tier 4.

Coronavirus had a massive impact on the dating landscape in 2020, and this looks likely to continue well into 2021.

According to dating app Zoosk, 9.30pm this evening is the optimum time to exchange messages because this is when most dating app users will be active and ready to engage.

Kirill Priyatel of Zoosk says: “Sunday is typically the busiest day of the week on the Zoosk platform, as it’s when our members have the most time to spend on online dating.

“On the first Sunday in January, this effect combines with the fact that many people have spent the holidays single and have just made a New Year’s resolution to find a relationship,” Priyatel continues.

“This results in increased activity on Zoosk – on Dating Sunday 2021, our team is expecting a 24% increase in registrations and a 25% increase in messages sent.”

Another dating app, Bumble, has recently released its dating trends forecast for 2021. Expect to see more people embracing the idea of “slow dating” as they take longer to get to know someone online before they set up an IRL rendezvous.

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