Dating Sunday Is the Biggest Online Dating Event of the Year

The Story According to dating apps like Tinder, every year, the first Sunday of the year is a good one to be online for. That’s because the day, dubbed ‘Dating Sunday,’ sees an absolute flurry of dating app activity — by far the most of any day on the calendar. RELATED: How to Use Tinder for Hooking Up (and More) The Snapshot That’s right, there’s a noticeable uptick in people signing in and signing up on that day — in this case, January 5th, 2025. Per a Tinder press release, "Data from Tinder reveals that the first Sunday of the year sees a 20% surge in Swipe® activity, with 10% more matches (that’s over 356 matches per second!) and 15% more likes sent on Tinder compared to the rest of the year, making it the optimal moment for singles to manifest their dating desires." So why is Dating Sunday a thing? It’s likely due to a combination of factors: the fact that it’s a new year, the fact that it’s a weekend, and the fact that it’s likely to be kind of yucky outside. RELATED: What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder? With a pretty nondescript stretch of winter ahead — even aside from it being a darker and colder period for those in the Northern Hemisphere, for people in North America, there aren’t really much by way of fun celebration occasions between New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day — now’s a great time to add a little excitement or intrigue to your life by meeting someone (or someones) online, so it makes sense that so many people choose now to head to (or back to) the apps. And while the first Saturday of the year may also see an uptick of online dating activity, there’s no day like a winter Sunday for staying in and attending to your digital devices. No surprise, then, that people find themselves flocking to Tinder and similar dating apps. The Lesson It’s no secret that dating apps aren’t a surefire ticket to lasting love and happiness, but they are still a useful tool to meeting new people that can lead to hookups, relationships and even friendships when used right. RELATED: Staying Friends With Someone You Met on a Dating App So what does using them right mean? Tinder relationship expert Jess O’Reilly suggests approaches like updating your profile (if you already have a dating app account) to reflect who you are now (rather than who you were last time you updated it), and maybe even to include some 2025 goals you have to give potential matches insight into your hopes and dreams for the year. Another useful tip, according to O’Reilly? Spend some time thinking about what it is you really want from the dating apps. Do you crave lasting companionship? A one-night stand? A casual friends-with-benefits arrangement? Finding true love? A non-monogamous arrangement? RELATED: Why "Loud Looking" Will Be the Major Dating Trend of 2025 Lots of other people are looking for the same things as you, so being clear about your preferences can go a long way to helping you find the right fit. You Might Also Dig: Best Dating Apps for RelationshipsHow To Make Online Dating Work For YouBest Dating Apps for Hooking Up