If you’re into astrology or surrounded by people who are passionate about zodiac signs, you’ve likely heard of Mercury retrograde. There’s a ton of fear-mongering behind this astrological event, which allegedly triggers a ton of delays, miscommunications, tech glitches, and relationship issues, among other concerns.
In particular, many people believe that Mercury retrograde has the most significant impact on our relationships. And while you might roll your eyes at this silly concept, there’s actually some data hinting that astrologers might be right about the planet’s negative effect on dating.
According to a new survey from the dating app Hily, many respondents reported an increase in dating issues, from ghosting to bad dates, during Mercury retrograde. You might assume this was a placebo effect…I mean, we’re all told that Mercury retrograde is this huge deal that shakes up our emotions and even causes tech disruptions.
However, according to Hily, the survey respondents were unaware that the troubled dates they mentioned fell during Mercury retrograde. In other words, they reported the most negative dating experiences during Mercury retrograde without even realizing it.
What Is Mercury Retrograde?
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Mercury retrograde occurs around three to four times each year. During this time, Mercury—the closest planet to the sun—seems to travel backward in its orbit from our perspective on Earth. However, this is more of an optical illusion than an actual retrograde motion.
“To those who practice astrology, these times were traditionally associated with confusion, delay, and frustration,” the almanac reported. “Think undelivered love letters, email blunders, and frazzled travel plans!”
However, it’s not all bad news. The almanac also explained that Mercury retrograde is a highly reflective and intuitive time filled with extraordinary, oftentimes fated occurrences.
Mercury Retrograde Is Coming. Prepare to Be Ghosted.
According to Hily’s data, Mercury retrograde might stir up some inconveniences when dating. Here are four prevalent issues daters reported in the survey.
Ghosting
We all know that ghosting isn’t a rare occurrence in today’s highly avoidant, non-committal dating world. However, according to Hily’s survey, ghosting actually increases during Mercury retrograde.
Specifically, the data revealed that 74% of American women and 77% of men experience more ghosting on dating apps during Mercury retrograde.
Misunderstandings/miscommunications
Misunderstandings and miscommunications can completely sabotage even the most promising connections. Unfortunately, Mercury retrograde is notorious for triggering such events—and Hily’s data confirmed this. In fact, 60% of women and 49% of men said they had more misunderstandings or miscommunications with dating app matches when Mercury was in retrograde.
Again, these respondents didn’t know the dates they provided fell under Mercury retrograde, so it wasn’t as if they were anticipating the challenges.
Tech glitches on apps
Another common issue associated with the troubled astrological event is a disruption in technology. Many astrologers warn people to back up their data and not overrely on their devices during this time—and apparently, for good reason. According to the Hily survey, 38% of women and 44% of men noticed more technical glitches on dating apps during Mercury retrograde.
Bad dates
Look, most of us have bad dates throughout the year, regardless of when Mercury is in retrograde. We don’t need a planetary optical illusion for that one.
However, it seems that Mercury retrograde causes even more negative dating experiences, perhaps exacerbating the issue. Hily revealed that 38% of young American women and 33% of men claimed to have more bad dates than usual during Mercury retrograde.
Dating During Mercury Retrograde
If the above data isn’t confirmation of Mercury’s strong impact, I don’t know what is.
Now, am I saying a planet’s illusive retrograde is the cause for all—or even any—of your dating blunders? Definitely not. I’m no astrologer.
But hey, there’s some potential evidence of its possible impact.
Nevertheless, the dating world often feels like a minefield. Stay safe out there.
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