Why Summer Has Become the New Season of Divorce: A Surprising Trend Among Couples
More couples are calling it quits during summer, making it the new season of divorce. Here’s why breakups are heating up during the warmer months.
Why Summer is Now the Peak Season of Divorce: Shocking New Trends, Expert Insights, and What Couples Should Know
Summer is all about the sun, vacations, and beach days but for many couples, it is the time to swing into action; break up and move on. New data, collected by SplitUp, which is an app meant to help users navigate divorce, suggest that summer has overtaken the winter as the major divorce season, thus showing a markedly steep increase in couples calling it quits during this time of the year.
The SplitUp company analyzed the Google Trends data extended from June 2020 to June 2025 and there has been a massive increase of about 4,950% in the searches for divorce lawyer in just the last three months. This spike in search history is indeed the highest in five years and means a visible change in the very timing of when people decide to put an end to their marriage. Traditionally, the very first Monday that appeared in the year was called “Divorce Day” — couples separated after the hectic holiday season. That is beginning to change — June appears to be the new January.
And June 2024 alone saw 30,600 searches for divorce lawyers — a sharp increase of 13% over their January numbers. The summer months appear to have taken an emotional toll with many married couples. Psychologist Dr. Danielle Forshee said, “The increase in sunlight can literally change your brain, leading to more singles than ever this summer.”
Sunlight is credited for these happenings. Longer, sunnier days provoke heavy human interference, like an active decision toward an unhappy wife. Psychologically, the summer environment fosters clear thoughts, a motivating influence, and a facilitating change—all of which can give the couple that momentum toward a final separation determination.
Read more: Breaking the Ice: How to Talk About Sex Openly with Your Partner Without Awkwardness
But summer also has its own set of reasons attached to it for why it is perhaps most favored now for the season of divorce. Dr. Forshee explains that summer allows for easier reorganization for families, especially those with children. With school out, children do not have the added emotional burden of adjusting to a new living situation during the school year.
The professional realm also contributes. Many firms are rather slow during the summer time because of client vacations or overall summer breaks. This lowered pressure gives divorcing couples space for settling into their new life or legal procedures without the distress of weighing workloads.
Then, there are nations beyond USA in on the same trend. Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom are seeing a substantial number of summer divorces, giving credence to the assertion of a global shift in relationships in the warmer months.
Yet, experts offer great pieces of advice to couples who would not wish to reach that unfortunate destination, but would instead like to strengthen their union – avoid the mistakes that commonly lead to that extremely painful reality. Divorce lawyer Padideh Jafari mentioned that one of the most damaging decisions a couple can make is to put business before family. “You absolutely cannot prioritize your career over your marriage,” she said to Business Insider.
Another culprit? Social media. “From reconnecting with old flames to secret messages, social media is fueling modern divorces,” Jafari noted. The constant exposure to idealized lives and relationships online often leads people to believe the grass is greener elsewhere. But, as Jafari wisely puts it, “As a married person, you should be watering and fertilizing your own lawn.”
Read more: Emotional Intimacy vs Physical Intimacy: Understanding the Balance That Strengthens Relationships
Lastly, she warns against hastily walking down the aisle. “If you’re going to be together forever, there’s no reason to get married quickly,” she stipulated. Take your time to see your partner through the ups and downs of life, in and out of every season—both metaphorically and literally—before making a lifetime commitment.
Understanding summer as the divorce season is a new concept; for the single, married, or somewhere in between, it is another reminder that relationships undergo cycles, like seasons. And through understanding when and why such cycles shift, one can prepare, adjust, and choose wisely either for themselves or their loved ones.
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