How Long Should Sex Last? Average Intercourse Time Revealed

The average bout of sex for British people lasts about 19 minutes, according to a recent survey of 4,400 people. That includes 10 minutes of foreplay and nine minutes of intercourse.

The data was gathered by Lovehoney, an online sex toy shop, as part of an ongoing campaign to help couples orgasm together.

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While the average sex session lasted about 19 minutes, 24 percent of respondents said they wished it would last for more than half an hour. Two-thirds said at least 15 minutes was fine. Fifty-two percent said their sex was lasting as long as they wanted it to, while 23 percent of men and 15 percent of women hoped for a little more time.

The data also revealed disparities between male and female experiences: 75 percent of men reported an orgasm almost every time they had sex, while only 28 percent of women did so. Those in committed relationships, however, said they orgasmed together about a third of the time.

“It is fantastic news that almost 90 percent of couples have achieved a shared orgasm at some point in their relationship,” said Lovehoney sex expert Jess Wilde, according to the Independent.

The survey is merely the latest data on the subject: other figures have varied greatly. A New York Magazine article published in 2015 reported that most researchers agree sex lasts an average of six minutes. A Fox News survey in 2007 showed that 80 percent of men and women both wanted sex to last at least 30 minutes.

The world might never have an answer for how long most sex sessions last and experts agree that the ideal time is a matter of personal preference and experience. However, Brits might actually be able to see how they measure up. British Condoms introduced a digital condom ring in March that served as a sexual data tracker, able to record anything from the total duration of a speed of thrusting. The ring comes with an app so that data, though anonymous, would be able to be compared with people around the world.