Hinge, POF Partnership Deals Bring Meditation to Dating
Contributed by: kellyseal on Wednesday, October 21 2020 @ 06:42 am
Last modified on Wednesday, October 21 2020 @ 09:48 am
Dating app Hinge has partnered with popular meditation app Headspace to help daters calm their nerves before going on a date. Plenty of Fish also announced their partnership with Shine, a popular self-care app designed by women of color, to help users take care of themselves during this stressful time. Both dating services are owned by Match Group.
The Hinge and Headspace partnership will offer pre-date meditations that Hinge users can access directly at hinge.co/headspace at no cost. Each meditation lasts about six to seven minutes and is intended to address a range of potential pre-date emotions, from “self-doubt” to “negative self-talk” according to Mashable[*1] .
The page to access the meditation also includes a link to Headspace’s website, where the company lists resources for help with mental illness through a variety of hotlines, accessible for users around the world. There is also a helpful “how to meditate” guide if you are new to the practice.
The Plenty of Fish collaboration[*2] with Shine offers users access to hundreds of meditations, calming sounds, and “sleep stories,” as well as journaling exercises, tools to track mood and gratitude, and a space to share your self-care progress with a community. Shine and POF have also created two new dating-related meditations called “Navigate Dating During COVID” and “Balance Dating While Busy.”
Hinge and POF are announcing these partnerships ahead of October 10th, which marks Mental Health Awareness Day. This initiative was formed in 1992 by the World Health Organization, and advocates for education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma surrounding mental health. This year the WHO is emphasizing the challenges people face as a result of coronavirus, including depression and anxiety resulting from issues like social isolation, unemployment and school closures.
Anxiety has become problematic in the U.S. and has only worsened in the wake of the pandemic. According to Hinge, more than 75% of its users around the world have felt nervous or anxious before going on a date, and since the pandemic, 25% of these feel even more anxious than normal. According to a recent study from POF, nearly one-third of U.S. singles have experienced increased levels of anxiety over the past six months.
"We believe that happy and healthy relationships start with happy and healthy individuals, which is why, during this unprecedented time, we're committed to providing our members with the tools they need to prioritize their mental health and well-being." said Plenty of Fish Head of Global Marketing, Stefan Harvalias.
Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge, explained the personal significance of mental wellbeing in a statement. "Having personally dealt with addiction and substance abuse, mental well-being is a topic I’m deeply passionate about for not only myself but our Hinge community," he said.