eHarmony Finds Quarantine Had a Positive Effect on Relationships

Dating site eHarmony has found that quarantine helped solidify new relationships at an accelerated speed as people partnered and navigated lockdown together. The company also found that it helped long-term couples feel more connected, too. 

Relate, a non-profit that provides mental health and counseling services, worked with eHarmony to gather the data. According to Good Housekeeping, they found that 63% of respondents say their relationship feels stronger after quarantining together, and 58% say they know they want to be with their partner forever.

COVID has changed our behavior in a few short months, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. Dating apps had contributed to a culture of ghosting and disconnection, but COVID has made many people realize that relationships should not be taken for granted. 

Partnerships formed in quarantine have been dubbed “turbo relationships,” because of the level of intimacy that occurs when you are isolating alone together for months. Roughly 36% of respondents agreed that two months in quarantine felt like the equivalent of two years of being in a committed relationship. Another 36% said they have reached relationship milestones like moving in together much more quickly than they would have without lockdowns. 

There were other benefits, too. Turbo charged relationships led 23% of respondents to agree that they have had more sex, 28% said they had better communication (not so much texting, perhaps), and 18% said they had shared passions with their quarantine partners.

Relate Counsellor, Peter Saddington noted: “The combination of more time spent together, heightened anxiety levels and the removal of common routines – like seeing friends – is an intense mix. And, whilst many of the consequences of these turbo relationships are encouraging, people must remember we are living through a unique set of circumstances. If your relationship doesn’t continue at the same pace or feelings lessen post-lockdown, that doesn’t spell disaster. Communication is vital to allow couples to navigate what feels right when normal life resumes.”

But what about those who were already in relationships? Overall, they experienced more connection and positive growth, too. Forty-two percent of couples enjoyed the “quality time” they have had, and 36% feel more grateful for their partners. Fifteen percent reported seeing their partners in a different, more caring light.

Still, 14% of couples said quarantine made them realize their relationships were over, and 4% uncovered virtual affairs that their partners were pursuing. Some of the tensions driving the rifts in partnerships included 11% saying they argued about children, 10% about finances, and about 9% disagreed on how to handle lockdown rules. 

Singles experienced lockdown in both positive and negative ways. Forty percent experienced loneliness and roughly 35% said that isolation negatively affected their mental health. Interestingly, the flip side was that 39% of singles felt like they had reclaimed their own time, and 29% realized that they were happier alone. 

eHarmony relationship expert Rachael Lloyd said of the findings: “Make no mistake, we are living in historic times, with a pandemic and the resulting lockdown having a profound impact on the way we live and love.”

To find out more about this dating service you can read our eHarmony review.