Single men are more worried about finding a partner for Christmas than women — here's why

We're in "cuffing season," where people put in extra effort to find someone to cuddle during the winter.
According to a new poll, single men are more worried about finding a partner than women.
This could be because men don't necessarily share the same level of emotional connection with their friends.

If you're familiar with your dating terms, you'll know we're currently in the middle of "cuffing season."

It basically refers to when people actively seek out a partner for the winter months, because it's more fun to stay in watching TV when you have someone to do it with.

A cliché about the dating world is that it's the women who feel the pressure to find someone and settle down — probably because of some outdated theory about a biological clock ticking away.

But a new study by dating website eHarmony and relationship support charity Relate has found that as Christmas approaches, it's the men who feel more worried about finding someone.

Of the 4,054 people who were surveyed, 71% of men were concerned about starting a new relationship, compared to 58% of women.

Over three quarters of the participants, male and female, admitted to feeling lonely at times, but men were slightly more likely to say it was a negative part of being single (47% compared to 53%).

"This challenges the traditional idea of the happy-go-lucky bachelor who is more suited to single life than his female equivalent," said eHarmony psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos. "The reality is that single women tend to be more robust on their own. They often capitalise on strong friendships which meet many of their needs for intimacy and prevent loneliness creeping in.

"Men on the other hand, perhaps don't necessarily share the same level of emotional connection with their friends, or even family members. Research suggests they also tend to miss physical intimacy slightly more than women. But there's really no need for anyone to feel disheartened."

The things participants listed as some benefits of being single were personal independence, time for new hobbies, freedom on nights out, and hooking up with other people. Two fifths (41%) of them agreed they would rather be alone than with the wrong person.

"It's important that we regard being single as a lifestyle choice which may change at any time and avoid making judgments about people's relationship status," said Chris Sherwood, the chief executive at Relate. "Unnecessary pressure from friends, family, and society can lead people to start a relationship before they're ready or understand what they want from it."