How Long Does an Erection Last? Myths, Facts & Tips

There are two questions that often plague many men’s minds: “How long does an erection last?” and “How long should I last in bed?”

If you find yourself often pondering over these questions and trying to compare the length of your erection to other people, know that you’re definitely not alone.

Erections, just like many other sexual health-related topics, are still greatly misunderstood. One popular myth many still believe is that the longer you can last in bed, the better. It might come as a surprise, but how long an erection lasts depends on many different individual factors, just as the size of the penis.

So, if you want to find a way out from the never-ending comparison game, let’s break the science of erection down and separate facts from fiction.

What Is an Erection?

An erection is a physiological reaction when the penis gets hard and enlarged due to an increase in blood flow. When the penis fills up with blood, it increases in size and stands up away from the body.

The most common cause of an erection is sexual stimuli and excitement. However, an erection might happen without sexual arousal at random. Ejaculation helps the erection to go away in most cases, but it may also go away without doing anything specific.

Different Types of Erections

Penises are often viewed as a simple and straightforward organ – when you get aroused, you get hard. That’s about all there is to it. But (surprise, surprise!) not all erections are the same. Actually, research shows that there are three different types of erections you might experience:

• Psychogenic erections: The type of erection that occurs due to audiovisual stimuli that trigger sexual impulses in our brain. So, if you think about sex, talk about sex, or watch porn and get an erection, it’s a psychogenic erection.
• Nocturnal erections: Most men are familiar with the morning wood, an erection you wake up to first thing in the morning. Well, that’s known as nocturnal erections that develop during sleep.  
• Refloxogenic erections: The type of erection that occurs due to physical stimulation of the genitals that activates the nervous system and increases blood flow to the area. So, when your partner touches your penis with a hand, mouth, or a sex toy and you get hard, it’s a reflexogenic erection.

How Does an Erection Happen?

If the process of how erections work is still a mystery to you, we’re about to break it down in very simple terms. When you’re in a calm state, before any sexual arousal appears, your penis is soft and flaccid.

An erection starts when the first sexual stimuli (physical or mental) appear – it can be anything from a visual, scent, sound, touch, or smell. It sends a signal to your nervous system to relax the muscles of your corpora cavernosa (an essential part of the penis) so that more blood can flow into the penis. Also, it signals for the blood flow to increase in the genital region.

As the sexual stimuli continue and more and more blood flows into the penis, it becomes enlarged and hardens. The muscles of your corpora cavernosa tighten to prevent the blood in the penis from flowing out until ejaculation occurs or you’re no longer sexually stimulated.

How Long Does the Average Erection Last?

Erections are very individual, so there is no one right answer for how long an erection lasts and what’s the “perfect” time to aim for. In fact, there is no such thing as the “perfect” length of an erection. There are many factors that might influence how long an erection can last – age, medications, stress, or being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  

One way people often estimate the average length of erection is by looking into how long it takes for people with penises to ejaculate during vaginal intercourse. This metric is referred to as intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT).

One study that surveyed 500 couples in five different countries found that IELT could fall anywhere in the range of 33 seconds to 44 minutes. That’s a huge variation. However, researchers determined that, on average, it took around five minutes for people with penises to ejaculate during vaginal intercourse.

Another study examined ejaculation latency times (ELT), which is used to measure how long it takes for a man to ejaculate. Researchers studied 58 men without sexual dysfunction and found that during intercourse, the median ELT was around eight minutes, but ejaculation time during masturbation was much quicker – it took, on average, less than five minutes for men to ejaculate.

So, we can speculate that anywhere between five to eight minutes is the average for sustaining an erection for men. However, that doesn’t mean that’s the “normal” for how long an erection lasts. Research done on nocturnal erections found that these types of erections last for at least 10 minutes.  

As you can see, there is no right or wrong answer to how long an erection should last.

However, if you notice that you struggle to get an erection and sustain it during sexual intercourse often, it might be a sign of erectile dysfunction. The same goes for if you notice that you ejaculate within a couple of minutes during intercourse – it could be a reason to seek medical advice.

Can an Erection Last Too Short or Too Long?

While there is no definitive answer on how long an erection should last, in some cases, an erection can last too short or too long, which might be a sign of an issue.

Priapism

Despite what people say, there can be too much of a good thing. While you might think that long-lasting erections are always good, if you have an erection that lasts for longer than four hours, it’s not. It’s called priapism and is a serious medical emergency that should be treated as soon as possible.

Certain types of priapism (ischemic priapism or low-flow priapism) may cause permanent erectile dysfunction if left untreated. So, don’t hesitate to seek emergency care if you have a persistent erection for more than two to four hours and whether or not you experience pain with it or not.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very common thing many people deal with. According to Urology Care Foundation, up to 30 million people with penises suffer from an ED.

ED is described as a condition when a person has difficulties getting an erection and maintaining it during sexual activities. Some of the most common causes of ED are:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Cardiovascular health issues
• High cholesterol levels
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise

The good news is that there are many different treatments and medications available that help treat ED.

Premature Ejaculation

You might not have an issue getting hard but struggle with maintaining an erection for long enough without ejaculating. That’s known as premature ejaculation. There are several causes for premature ejaculation:

• Prostate problems
• Issues with thyroid and hormone health
• Drug use
• Depression
• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship issues

The good news is that, just like with ED, there are treatments and medications available to help you deal with premature ejaculation.

Factors that Can Affect How Long an Erection Lasts

Many different functions of a body play a part in getting and maintaining an erection, such as nervous system function, cardiovascular system, and hormones. But there are even more factors that might be influencing how long an erection lasts:

• Relationship difficulties
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Low testosterone
• Alcohol and drug use
• Stress
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Medications
• Medical conditions like high blood pressure

All of these factors might influence how long you can maintain an erection and how easy it is for you to get an erection. Some might be out of your control, while other things you might change to improve your overall health and erections.

When To Seek Medical Advice

If you notice that you often ejaculate too soon during intercourse or have a hard time getting hard and staying hard during sex, it might be a good idea to speak with a doctor, as these are signs of sexual dysfunction.  

Also, if you notice a sudden change in your erections, the way they develop, and how long they last, it might also be a good idea to speak with a medical advisor.

There’s no shame in seeking help to aid with erections. Your doctor will find a way to help you deal with any underlying health issues, which might help improve your erections and sexual satisfaction.

Common Misconceptions About Erection Duration

Let’s address some of the most common myths people believe about normal erection length.

Myth #1: Longer Always Means Better

As we already touched on previously, longer erections don’t mean better erections. An erection that lasts for longer than two to four hours might be a sign of serious medical concern.

Instead of placing focus on the length of your erection, focus on the quality of your sexual activities. There are plenty of ways to enjoy sex with a partner without engaging in intercourse, such as oral sex or mutual masturbation.

But if you do want to last longer in bed, try edging. It’s a practice of delaying an orgasm, which helps enhance orgasms and get better control over your erections and ejaculations.

Myth #2: Only Older Men Experience Changes

A common misconception is that as men age, they start to experience erection issues and ED that prevents them from enjoying sex at an older age. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

First of all, there are plenty of people who enjoy sex at an older age. Pleasure has no age limit, and just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean you will lose the ability to have sex or achieve an orgasm.

Second, issues with erections are prevalent in young people, too. One out of four men who seek help with ED treatment are under the age of 40. Stress, anxiety, and lifestyle factors all play a more significant part in sexual health, not age.  

Myth #3: Supplements Alone Solve All Problems

If you have issues with erection, it might be tempting to believe that one magical pill can solve all of your issues. With many different medications available on the market, all promising to make you hard and last long in bed for hours, it’s easy to get distracted.

However, there is no cure-all for erection-related issues. Plus, most of the supplements that promise to fix your issues often lack scientific research. Before you rely on one magical pill to solve an issue, it’s best to seek professional medical advice.

Your doctor will be able to run tests and determine the issue (if there is one) so you can both agree on a treatment plan that works for you and your lifestyle.

How To Get Your Erection to Last Longer

If you want to improve erection quality and duration, there are some things you can do:

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Making positive lifestyle changes can greatly improve your overall health, which in turn can help enhance your erections. So, consider these lifestyle changes:

• Maintaining healthy body weight
• Make an effort to quit smoking
• Limit your alcohol consumption
• Lead an active lifestyle
• Treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol
• Try to reduce stress and improve sleep
• Eat a whole-food diet and limit highly processed foods

Invest in Your Relationships

If you have any relationship issues or anxiety related to your sexual performance, you might want to invest time in finding a way to communicate honestly and openly with your partner.

Share your worries if you have any with your partner. If you have relationship issues that might be influencing your overall health and well-being, consider seeking counsel to help you navigate your relationship.

Try Edging

Edging is the practice of delaying an orgasm in order to enhance the pleasure. It has been shown to be an effective way to help build stamina and even improve erectile dysfunction. So, consider experimenting with different techniques (solo or with a partner).

Improve Your Stamina

Using stamina trainers like the F1S V2 masturbation sleeve can be a great way to practice controlling your orgasms so you can last longer in bed. All you have to do is lie back and enjoy the hands-free stimulation.

Wear a Cock Ring During Sex

Cock rings are great accessories to wear during partnered sex to enhance pleasure. It helps make erections harder and last longer, and if you use a vibrating one, it also adds extra stimulation for you and your partner.

The Bottom Line

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to how long an erection should last. It all depends on each individual, their lifestyle, and various other factors. So, there is no reason to compare yourself to others.

Also, a satisfying sex life is much more than hour-long intercourse. Instead of focusing on the numbers, focus on the connection with your partner and your body.

Enjoy the sensations that occur during sex in your body, and experiment with different types of pleasurable activities: oral sex, mutual masturbation, and even kink.

And if you do suffer from erection-related issues, don’t hesitate to seek out medical advice. There is no reason to suffer in silence, and your medical advisor can help you find the right treatment and medication if needed.  

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