How Long Does Good Sex Last?

NEW YORK — Maybe men had it right all along: It doesn't take long to satisfy a woman in bed. A survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. The findings, to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, strike at the notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life.

If that sounds like good news to you, don't cheer too loudly. The time does not count foreplay, and the therapists did rate sexual intercourse that lasts from 1 to 2 minutes as "too short."

Researcher Eric Corty said he hoped to ease the minds of those who believe that "more of something good is better, and if you really want to satisfy your partner, you should last forever."

The questions were not gender-specific, said Corty (who, it must be noted, is male). But he said prior research has shown that both men and women want foreplay and sexual intercourse to last longer.

Dr. Irwin Goldstein, editor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, cited a four-week study of 1,500 couples in 2005 that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. (Women were armed with stopwatches.)

It's difficult for both older men and young men to make sexual intercourse last much longer, said Marianne Brandon, a clinical psychologist and director of Wellminds Wellbodies in Annapolis, Md.

"There are so many myths in our culture of what other people are doing sexually," Brandon said. "Most people's sex lives are not as exciting as other people think they are."

Fifty members of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research in the U.S. and Canada were surveyed by Corty, an associate professor of psychology at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and student Jenay Guardiani. Thirty-four members, or 68 percent, responded, although some said the optimal time depended on the couple.

Corty said he hoped to give an idea of what therapists find to be normal and satisfactory among the couples they see.

"People who read this will say, 'I last five minutes or my partner lasts 8 minutes,' and say, 'That's OK,'" he said. "They will relax a little bit."

Comments

[finkid]

It depends. If it lasts too long, then some sort of time wasters as shown in the picture below might make sense.

http://guessworker.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/last-long/

This is an Ad from a long lasting condom. :)

[Kungfublood]

I found this to be an extremely unsatisfying article.

[newshawk14]

About 20 some years ago, a friend of mine asked me about peak experiences, I think that he and
the two ladies sitting with him, had been discussing Abraham Maslow's teachings on peak
experiences. I checked the potted ferns around us to make sure there wasn't a narc hiding, and
offered up the opinion that one of life's peak experiences, was to be a little stoned, and making
love to a Bruckner Symphony (some of the longest in the repertoire). He immediately, said "Oh
no, it would have to be Bolero", he had obviously seen Bo Derek in "10". I gasped, and said, "but
Bolero only lasts15 minutes", whereupon my friend Pete looked at the ladies and back at me,
and said, "I have nothing to say".

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Nobody needs viagra. Its called use your brain. Its the sexiest part of your body, which starts the ball rolling. This is why when I am with my guy, I am already in the mood for sex, thinking about all the naughty things I want to do with him, This sets the tone for a night of incredible, mind bending, gotta have a cigar after, ..........SEX.

[JacobSinger]

Give me a multi-orgasmic woman any day over the lady who will work you for an hour to get just one.

Multi-orgasmic women have a lot more fun, and they do wonders for your ego....

[RRonin]

This year we celebrate our 25th anniversary and just this afternoon we had "volcanic" sex...maybe the secret to sexual longevity is love longevity.....

[Foryourconsideration]

AMEN - married almost 17 years ;o)

[wheelskeepturning]

ok people are just not telling the truth or the people with great sex lives just don't have the need to share the details. Well let me tell you that sex, and I don't mean foreplat can last for hours. Thats all I'm saying.

[Guitarsandmore]

In my experience, women are all different. Some get off right away while others take hours.

[JacobSinger]

Yup, and ya never know going in.... ;-)

[CrabbyGolightly]

CrabbyGolightly.com says:

So This Is What Madonna Means When She Sells "Hard Candy"
THE WORLD CAN REST NOW KNOWING THAT MADGE is getting her sexual kicks. The one and only Madonna confesses in Elle's May issue that hubby Guy satisfies her -- at least in bed. Madge has a song on her new album Hardy Candy, in which she says, "Sex with you is incredible." The Elle interviewer asked the obvious: Is she singing about Guy? "Absolutely," Madonna's quoted as saying. "Sex with Guy is incredible ... And surprise, surprise, it's his favorite song on the album. Actually, maybe it's not his favorite song, but it's definitely his favorite line."

Of course, none of this can actually be believed because Madonna's in selling mode. For all anyone really knows, Madge could be singing about sex with herself. But unless she has a guest appearance on The Moment of Truth, we'll never get to ask.

Another clue to that "incredible" sex is a study in the news today that says it takes as little as three minutes to satisfy a woman in bed. According to an AP story, "A survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes."

But this optimal time does not include foreplay. And one final conclusion: sex that lasts between one and two minutes is "too short." Surely Guy beats the averages?

Check out CrabbyGolightly.com/Hardycandy.html

[nikto]

This ought to clearly establish, for all time, the indisputable connection
between Conservative GOPers and the Minutemen.

But most folks already knew that.

Old news.

[TLV]

I have always felt that foreplay begins during the daytime activities you share if you do it right. My favorite turn-on is my husband in the kitchen making dinner with me or the two of us working on some difficult building project. The problem is, my husband is just the opposite.....he hates to share the kitchen and he gets too frustrated with the decisions required when trying to figure out how to build something without plans to enjoy the process.

[FirstShirt]

Seems that time is important. Significantly, they didn't mention quantity? Would you rather have 3 good minutes 6 times or 18 minutes once?

[kvass]

Oh those poor boomers -- brought up on tv with instant highlights -- no ability to focus for over 3 minutes.

[LITU]

Well that shot my technique in the arse.

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Ok, if we are talking the whole night, then a good three to four hours of fun, romping, try it all till you fall off the bed or pass out, or both if its really going well. The other? 15 minutes if he is tired, 20 if he is on fire.