Expert shares true answer when asked how long sex should last for on average

How long you think sex should last is obviously completely up to you and your partner.

But Dr Reena Malik, a urologist and pelvic surgeon, has decided to take a deeper look into what the average man and woman are thinking.

Taking to her YouTube channel (Rena Malik, M.D.), the Dr revealed what the average person thinks the total length of intercourse should be, based on data from 500 couples.

How long sex should last is ultimately up to you (Getty Stock Images)

The study - which defines sex as penetration only - found the average intra-ejaculatory latency time (IELT) to be 5.7 minutes.

And even though men thought the estimated ideal length is about 16 minutes, the actual result was nine minutes long.

Women, on the other hand, desire an average of 25 minutes of sex.

"In modern society, we spend a lot of time glorifying what sex should look like, how long it should last, and putting a lot of value on this," Dr Malik said.

Dr Reena Malik, a urologist and pelvic surgeon, shared the results of a 500 couple sex study (Getty Stock Images)

"But ultimately, all this pressure can have a real detrimental impact on our lives.

"And what you hear about sex, is not always accurate, particularly how long someone lasts in bed.

"In this particular study, sex means penetration, so from the initial penetration to the end of penetration, it does not include foreplay," she explained.

"That does not mean that's what sex should mean for you, but that's how they defined it in this study.

"In the data that I'm presenting, they are specifically talking about sex between men and women, but no matter what the data says, it's important to communicate with your partner about what their expectations are and what they enjoy in a sexual relationship, during intercourse and outside of it, because it's different for each and every person.

"And in order for you to have a fulfilling sex life, it's important to communicate and always be open."

Over in the comments, people were opening up about their preferences, as one person said: "The most important factor of sex duration, is frequency.

"For me...Once a week equals 3 to 5 minutes. Once a day, everyday is 10 to 15 minutes.

"Twice or three times a day, everyday equals 25 minutes+.

"If women want 25 minutes they must consider the frequency! You can't expect long duration if frequency is low."

Another also pointed out: "Timing depends on how your partner reacts in sex and also the privacy. For couples with young children the fear of getting caught in act acts as a distracting factor."