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It has been seen many times that when you have sex for the first time, your session can go on for a very long time, but the second time may not necessarily last as long. There is no science to knowing how long the sex will last or whether your intimate session will be shorter or longer than the previous session. Despite this, many would like to know how long the sex should last in general? In this article, we will tell you how long sex should be before orgasm i.e. climax.
(Read more: Sexual health)
What is the average duration of intercourse?
According to a 2005 survey conducted by the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, vaginal sex usually lasts three to seven minutes. The survey said that 1 to 2 minutes of vaginal sex is considered 'very short' and 10 to 30 minutes is considered 'very long'. As such, the question arises that how long is it healthy to have sexual intercourse. In this regard, sex therapists believe that the ideal duration of intercourse is between 7 to 10 minutes. It is important to note here that this time is only for intercourse i.e. penile-vaginal intercourse; it does not include foreplay, oral sex, anal sex or any other kind of sex.
(Read more: How to have safe sex)
What does the research say?
Research conducted by The Conversation found that the average intercourse lasts from 33 seconds to 44 minutes. Looking at this difference of 80 times, the researchers came to the conclusion that there is no 'normal' duration to have sex for. However, the average duration of intercourse for four weeks for individual couples was 5.4 minutes. The researchers recognized that sex is not something that should be had while watching the clock and that monitoring the timing of an orgasm without the help of a third person can be difficult.
(Read more: Disadvantages and benefits of not having sex)
Know the Intravaginal Ejaculatory Latency Time (IELT)
Intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) is used whenever research is done on the timing of intercourse. The time when the penis enters the vagina and the time it takes for the man to ejaculate is included in the research in IELT.
Many researchers also include the time till orgasm in research, which includes foreplay, touch, oral sex or anal sex. In such cases, the duration can become longer. But if you just want to know the time of intercourse then it is only a few minutes. Sex may take more or less time, but the most important thing is that it should be satisfactory.
(Read more: How to have safe sex)
Duration of intercourse also depends on these reasons
There are also many biological factors that can affect your sex duration like:
- Age: It takes time to get aroused with increasing age. Getting an erection or staying erect for a long time may become difficult. Due to changes in hormones, vaginal dryness and a decrease in sex drive may be experienced by some. All these conditions can reduce the duration of intercourse.
- Genitals: The genitals also play an important role in ensuring the timing of intercourse. In a 2003 research, researchers claimed that the size of the penis - especially the ridge around the upper part of the penis, could make a difference.
- Sexual Dysfunction: The climax can occur much sooner than you expect due to premature ejaculation. At the same time, due to delayed ejaculation, it may also take time to reach climax.
The timing of intercourse depends on your expectations and desires. If you feel that your intercourse time is short then you should talk to your partner and then consider contacting your doctor. Your doctor can help you find a solution to this problem by enquiring about your lifestyle and sex life.
(Read more: When and how often to have sex)
