How long should sex last?

There are only a few things that are equally as exciting and scary as having sex. Many of us will know the feeling: You get going and as soon as you start, insecurities and anxiety are setting in. “Am I doing this right?” or “Is this lasting long enough?” are questions that go through our minds. And, generally, the answer to those questions is “Yes!”. But for some reason we have this expectation that sex needs to last for hours or even the whole night to be good. And let us tell you right here: That’s definitely not the case!

So then, how long should sex last if not all night?

You’ll probably be surprised but on average people prefer sex to last anywhere between 3 and 13 minutes, as a study has found. To back that point up, a Twitter poll from 2019 with 2,380 people suggests that 61% are completely happy with the penetrative part of sex lasting between 5 and 10 minutes (foreplay not included!). Only 26% actually wanted it to last longer than 11 minutes. So, we’d say it’s about time to say goodbye to your expectations of 2-hour long sex session three times a week. Let’s be honest, who actually has time for that?

And how long does sex last on average?

We have a very precise answer for you here! A study has found that the average time for penetrative sex is exactly 5.4 minutes. The broader average ranges between 3 and 7 minutes. Still nowhere near the all-nighter!

The takeaway

In summary, we don’t have much more to say than: Have sex for as long as you like! Whether that’s 30 seconds or all night, whatever floats your (and your partner’s) boat is the perfect amount of time. Just don’t let anyone else’s sex life make you feel insecure about your own. You do you, and what everyone else does, doesn’t matter!