Women have been weighing in on how long they think sex should last.
As per Healthline, vaginal sex typically lasts for three to seven minutes, according to a 2005 study.
While that might seem quite short, the survey actually revealed that sex that lasted one to two minutes was found to be 'too short' while a 10 to 30 minute stint was deemed 'too long'.
Instead, sex therapists found that anywhere between seven to 13 minutes was believed to be the most 'desirable'. But what do women consider to be the ideal amount of time?
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An article in GQ looked at the average time people had sex for, and what they thought about how long they spent between the sheets.
The publication asked a 'handful' of women and non-binary people about their bedroom habits and found that for the most part, participants reported around five to 10 minutes of penetrative sex, and longer for foreplay, as preferable.
One woman reported 10 to 15 minutes of foreplay and 10 minutes of sex as being her ideal ratio.
She told GQ: “I find I get rather impatient in bed, or perhaps I just haven’t met someone worth taking more time.”
Meanwhile, another participant said: “I feel like this sounds short, but honestly five to 10 mins plus like 15-ish minutes of foreplay.”
And a third added: “I generally like sex to last 15 to 20 minutes, with intercourse being like maybe a quarter of that.”
There were variations, however, with some claiming their preferable timings amounted to around an hour (including foreplay), while others believed their answers were not as long as they should be.
When it comes to how often people have sex, there's a big variation there, too, with factors such as stress and lack of sleep all playing a part.
Sex therapist Charlene Douglas has given her professional insight into what makes a healthy sexual relationship and how often the average couple spends time in the sheets.
Speaking to LADbible Stories during an 'Honesty Box' session, Douglas said: “So oftentimes, I'll go to a bar and people will find out that I'm a sex therapist and they'll say to me, 'How many times should you really be having sex like in a week?'
“And they're all waiting for my answer. Everyone leans in waiting for me to give that number to work out whether they're in the normal range or not.”
She noted that 'statistically speaking' once a week is the average amount for most couples, which aligns with a survey by Natsal-3, which found that couples in long-term relationships were having sex around once a week.
However, it's important to note that everyone has different circumstances and preferences, and what might be 'normal' for one couple could be totally different for another.
Topics: News, Sex and Relationships, Life
Lucy Devine