A site named Gleeden, which encourages extramarital dating, is drawing publicity, and—as you may have guessed—the reason is entirely depressing.
It’s drawing publicity because it has concluded this time of year is the most popular time for spouses to cheat on their significant other.
How could Gleeden, which boasts 3.3 million members, come to such a conclusion? Well, first off, January is the site’s most popular month for sign-ups. Hard to argue with that data. In particular, its biggest sign-up day annually is the second Monday after Christmas—in other words, Jan. 9 of 2017.
“On Monday, January 11, 2016, the site also recorded an increase in registrations of more than 320 percent,” a Gleeden spokesperson told The Sun.
Additionally, the site conducted a survey that backed up these results. The survey of 13,000 people found many tended to be more active cheaters during January.
Of those who were more active in January, 52 percent said it was because they wanted to “regain their freedom” after the holidays.
Solene Paillet, the director of communications at Gleeden, told The Sun the results of this study are easily explained.
“By registering with Gleeden or spending more time on the online platform, members are seeking a means to inject a little excitement into their everyday life," Paillet told The Sun. "Routine may weigh down on individuals, or be rather oppressive when it follows extended periods devoted to family life. This is the result of a legitimate human need: to have fun and think of oneself.”
January is also a popular month for divorce.
“The last thing someone wants to do is to be in a situation where they’re ruining holidays for children, ruining holidays for family," attorney Richard Klineburger told CBS Philly. "People have resolutions, people want to make a fresh start. People get their Christmas bonuses, end of the year bonuses...and they have that money to get an apartment, to pay an attorney.”
So, if Seasonal Affective Disorder or the post-holiday blues don't lay claim to you, Gleeden has given you one more reason to ramp up the sadness during the month of January. But on the bright side: at least we aren’t still living in 2016, and even though the numbers are a bit shocking, no study applies to everyone.
