The Sunday night after New Year’s is the busiest time of year for internet dating sites. And the period between now and Valentine’s Day is the most active online dating season.
Data from dating websites Match.com and Plenty of Fish indicate that this evening—roughly 5pm to 8pm EST—is traditionally the single busiest time of the year in terms of traffic to their sites. Match.com gets even more specific, suggesting that activity peaks at about 7:52pm CST.
Researchers believe the increased online dating may come from the spare time people have over the holidays, and how they gravitate toward their computers and phones during that time. As the Wall Street Journal also points out, Christmas is traditionally a lonely time of year for many. A UK survey from 2010 found that more one-third of 18-34 year-olds worry about loneliness over the Christmas period.