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Topics: Sex and Relationships, News
Niamh Shackleton
Age plays a huge factor in a lot of things in life: from how we look, how our bodies feels and – apparently – how long it takes us to orgasm.
Something that isn't uncommon in men is premature ejaculation, which affect around 20 to 30 percent of men worldwide at some point in their lives.
This isn't necessarily an age thing though — factors like stress, erectile dysfunction, performance anxiety, and relationship problems can all contribute towards it, says Cleveland Clinic.
For people who experience this, Dr. Mark Perera has said that there are ways to make yourself last longer in bed, one being to masturbate before intercourse. Those who ejaculate prematurely are typically between the ages of 18 to 59.
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But, away from those who finish quicker than expected, there's an average amount of time that it takes a man to reach orgasm, depending on their age — and it's nothing like what you see in the adult industry.
A Lovehoney 2025 study looked deeper into how age influences orgasm speed and broke down the data.
For this age range, according to the study, men last on average 16.14 minutes in bed.
Speaking to the Metro, Lovehoney’s sexual health expert and sexual health nurse Sarah Mulindwa explained: “In your 20s, excitement and novelty are high, which can lead to quicker climaxes, but recovery is fast, and stamina is generally good. At this stage, it’s all about pacing - using edging, breathwork, or condoms strategically can help build control.”
She noted: “However, what matters most at any age is communication, technique, and pleasure - not the stopwatch.”
Between 25 and 34, the number increases slightly and jumps up to 18.29 minutes.
“Experience, rhythm, and better communication usually make sex feel smoother, though stress or time pressure can shave off minutes,” Mulindwa said.
The time starts to falter ever so slightly and drops down to 17.4 minutes.
However, the expert emphasizes that this is nothing to worry about as ‘hormonal changes and early erectile difficulties can affect pace, but many couples naturally focus more on foreplay, variety, and connection’.
At this age range, there is a clear decline in time until orgasm. In regards to averages, it falls to 14.14 minutes.
According to Mulindwa, this drop could be down to erections becoming ‘less predictable’ for men in their 50s, while ‘variability in climax timing increases’.
The downward trend continues as the study found that these men are lasting 11.3 minutes on average.
The sexual health expert added: “Intimacy, skill, and connection often deepen.
“Taking time with warm-ups, sensate focus, and incorporating toys can keep experiences pleasurable.”
For men older than 65 years old, the average drops to 8.15 minutes.
It's worth noting that Mulindwa admitted that there is ‘really no single right’ number for how long sex should last.
She added: “Overall, the data shows that mid-range sessions (roughly 10-15 minutes) are most common at any age, with very long encounters being rare.
“But the most important factors are mindset, technique, and communication. Couples who focus on connection, mix up sensations, and communicate openly consistently can experience higher satisfaction.”