{"id":58150,"date":"2020-07-31T10:32:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-31T10:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/relationship-changes-caused-by-the-pandemic\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:03:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T09:03:27","slug":"relationship-changes-caused-by-the-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/relationship-changes-caused-by-the-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Deal With the Relationship Changes Caused by the Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"YoungWhether single or in a relationship, playing the field or happily married, COVID-19 has thrown people’s romantic routines out of whack. This pandemic has shown how relationships change over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lockdown meant that singles were suddenly no longer able to court a potential hookup in their favorite date spot, while couples couldn’t simply book a romantic weekend away to spice up their love lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Faced with weeks and months ahead, where they weren’t allowed to meet anyone outside of their households, let alone get physical with them, singles’ dating lives ground to a halt. And, it all got down to <\/span>maintaining relationships over text<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, cohabiting couples have found themselves spending 24\/7 with each other, with little idea of when something resembling normality will resume.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, despite the relationship changes<\/a>, human relationships appear to have proved more resilient in the face of adversity than we might have imagined.<\/span><\/p>\n

Navigating this newfound territory was not without its obstacles, but many couples – both new and old – became more connected than ever before during the pandemic. Here’s how.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Courtship in crisis<\/span><\/h2>\n

Within days of mandatory quarantine measures being implemented, <\/span>dating app usage began to spike<\/span><\/a>. And within weeks, the figures were higher than ever seen before.<\/span><\/p>\n

The average number of daily messages sent across platforms<\/span><\/a> like Hinge, Match.com, and OkCupid in the month of April grew by almost one-third compared to February.<\/span><\/p>\n

With bars, restaurants, gyms – and virtually every other place that facilitates social gatherings – closed, people were seeking social connection, even if that was through a screen.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, with the chance for a quick hookup eliminated, dating apps found their users having more meaningful interactions than previously.<\/b> Bumble users were engaging in more extended message exchanges and more quality chats.<\/span><\/p>\n

And with these relationship changes taking place amid an unprecedented global crisis, it’s not surprising that conversations seem to have taken a deeper turn, past the usual small talk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those delving into the matter have found that <\/span>dating conversations during COVID-19<\/span><\/a> seem to more frequently skip the usual niceties and get to the heavy stuff: How were people protecting themselves from the pandemic? Should the economy reopen sooner rather than later?<\/span><\/p>\n

Answers to these questions said a lot about a person and allowed people to decipher whether their match was a good potential partner.<\/span><\/p>\n

These relationship changes entailed more in-depth conversations. And, the absence of physical contact allowed more singles to “slow date” and get to know each other properly before taking the physical step.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, <\/span>85% of OkCupid users surveyed<\/span><\/a> during the crisis revealed that it’s more important for them to develop an emotional connection before a physical one. There was also a 5% increase in users from the same survey looking for long term relationships, while those seeking hookups decreased by 20%.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who found that messaging back and forth over the app just didn’t cut it, dating app Match.com introduced “<\/span>Vibe Check<\/span><\/a>” – its video call feature that allowed users to see if their personalities were a good match before exchanging numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hinge also launched its <\/span>video-chatting feature<\/span><\/a> during the pandemic, catering to a demand for a more real connection in the absence of IRL dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Socially distant, emotionally intimate<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"BeautifulMany couples in a relationship once the pandemic started were faced with a tough question: Shall we quarantine together?<\/span><\/p>\n

Deciding whether or not to cohabit for the duration of isolation measures became a new milestone for young couples that might have otherwise waited months or years until they decided to <\/span>move in together<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

And it seems that a genuine full-time togetherness proved to be a success for many of them as they got to know each other on a deeper level and accelerated the pace of their relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who were already sharing a home, a new reality beckoned: One where they would no longer be only seeing their significant others in the evening and on weekends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gone were the chances to take a break from each other during working hours or while on a night out or weekend away with friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, while these relationship changes <\/b>sparked initial anxiety amongst couples<\/b><\/a>, what resulted was an increase in relationship satisfaction and communication levels.<\/b><\/p>\n

This <\/span>Monmouth University poll<\/span><\/a> found that half of the couples predicted that they’d come out stronger post-pandemic, while the number of people that said they are “somewhat satisfied” and “not satisfied” with their relationships compared to pre-crisis levels reduced by 50%.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though around one-quarter of participants said that their relationship changes did add to the stress of living through COVID-19, the majority were optimistic about the pandemic’s impact on their relationship’s long-term success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, 75% of respondents to <\/span>this Kinsey study<\/span><\/a> said that communication with their partner improved during the isolation period.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Under the sheets<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"CuteFor many singles, getting out into the world and restarting their sex lives<\/a> is still too risky. It leaves little room to comply with social distancing guidelines, especially as cases <\/span>continue to rise<\/span><\/a> in many countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, nothing stops those already cohabiting from using that extra time they’d usually spend on their daily commute in the bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

Initially, many couples reported a dip in their sexual activity<\/a>, primarily due to the change in their routines and the general stress of the pandemic-induced changes in their relationship. But, a <\/span>relationship without intimacy<\/a> <\/span>is like a body without a soul.<\/p>\n

Anxiety can result in a less-than-desired sexual<\/a> performance when it does take place, so it’s important to realize that it wasn’t all a rosy picture behind bedroom doors.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, some interesting trends emerged as quarantine continued, and couples sought new ways to get creative. Sex toy sales saw a <\/span>significant increase<\/span><\/a> during the lockdown:<\/span><\/p>\n