Ever wondered how long sex usually lasts? Sometimes it feels like it goes on forever, and other times, it’s over in a flash. Researchers wanted to find out too, so they conducted a study. They discovered that the duration of sex can range from a quick 33 seconds to a marathon-like 44 minutes. On average, couples in the study lasted about 5.4 minutes.

To gather this data, researchers recruited 500 couples from around the world. These couples were asked to track the duration of their sexual encounters over four weeks using a stopwatch. They started the timer at penetration and stopped it at ejaculation.

What’s interesting is that there’s no “normal” duration for sex. Some couples finish quickly, while others go on for much longer. Surprisingly, factors like condom use or circumcision didn’t seem to affect the duration of the act. This challenges common beliefs about penile sensitivity and stamina.

Except for couples from Turkey, where sex tended to be shorter, averaging about 3.7 minutes compared to couples from other countries like the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States. And age seems to play a role too; older couples generally had shorter sexual encounters, according to the DailyMail.

It’s fascinating how much variability there is in something as intimate as sex. So, next time you’re wondering if your love session is too short or too long, remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.