When it comes to sex, expectations and reality can be on two opposite ends of the spectrum—and a recent global survey about how long the typical sex session lasts is a perfect example of this.
The survey, from the UK-based dating website SaucyDates.com, was answered by 3,836 men and women. They were asked how many minutes they wanted sex to go on for (not foreplay, just the main event).
Women on average said their ideal sex session would go for 25 minutes and 51 seconds. Men on average wanted their ideal romp to run 25 minutes and 43 seconds. But those almost identical numbers didn’t match the reality of what really happens in the bedroom. On average, sex lasted about 16 minutes, according to the survey.
The results were broken down by country. In the United States, men and women stayed in the game for 17 minutes and 5 seconds. Canadians came in next at 17 minutes flat, followed by Brits who lasted for 16 minutes and 58 seconds.
Surprisingly, guys in their 30s seemed to bump and grind the longest, reported the survey; they had better, er, track records, than younger or older men.
Unfortunately, we aren’t completely surprised by the gap between sexpectation and what truly goes on behind closed doors. Communicating about sex can be difficult, but if you want the mattress springs to squeak longer—or if 16 minutes of action is too lengthy in your opinion—it’s time to have a conversation with your partner about it.
