Dating app Hinge and meditation app Headspace have joined forces to help people ease their pre-date jitters and head into first dates with a clear mind.

The custom pre-date meditations – released ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October – each last five to six minutes and address both pre-date nerves and any negative or self-critical thoughts a person may have.

“We’re so happy to work with Hinge to bring a little more mindfulness into people’s lives as we all navigate this challenging time,” said Eve Lewis, Headspace Director of Meditation. “World Mental Health Day is a great reminder to be kind to our minds. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that our mental health is as important as our physical health. We hope these pre-date meditations can help bring some calm, clarity and compassion during these stressful times.”

A study by Hinge found that more than three in four of its users have felt nervous or anxious before a date and, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one in four users feel this way more now. Meanwhile, 47 per cent of Hinge users have felt nervous or anxious before asking a match on a date, either in-person or virtually. And one in three users have talked themselves out of a great date due to nerves.

“At Hinge, we know taking care of your mental health and well-being is crucial to creating a meaningful connection, and over these past few months, singles have been feeling more anxious,” said Justin McLeod, Founder and CEO of Hinge. “Having personally dealt with addiction and substance abuse, mental well-being is a topic I’m deeply passionate about for not only myself but our Hinge community. We want our users to be calm and relaxed when connecting with each other, so it was a no-brainer to partner with Headspace to develop the first-ever meditations for daters.”