There’s no way to make statistics sexy, unless, you know, they’re about sex. With that in mind, we’ve compiled the most interesting facts about sex we could find, and showed them to a few sexual wellness experts to find out what they really mean for you.
1. 84% of Women Say they Have Sex to Get Their Man to Help Out Around the House: According to says Ian Kerner, PhD, a sex and relationship expert and the author of She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman, ‘Considering that women still end up bearing an unequal distribution of labour on the domestic front, turning foreplay into ‘choreplay’ is a brilliant strategy. Studies have shown that women are more likely to be interested in sex if the house is clean, so this should be motivation enough for men to grab a mop and load the dishwasher.’
2. The Average Size of a Non-Erect Penis is 3.5 Inches: ‘Most men think they’re either too small or too big, when in fact they’re average,’ Dr. Kerner points out. ‘3.5 inches non-erect equals 5 inches or so erect. Considering that most of the nerve endings that contribute to the female orgasm are located on the surface of the vulva and within the first two inches of the vaginal canal, average is more than enough.’ He adds, ‘The vast majority [of women] rated a clean penis as being more important than a big penis.’
3. The Average Person Burns 200 Calories during 30 Minutes of Sex: However, you shouldn’t dump your elliptical machine just yet. Sexual health and relationship wellness expert Gilda Carle, PhD, author of How to Win When Your Mate Cheats, warns, ‘Sex may be exercise, but it’s not enough exercise to burn your thunder thighs. Make sex an addition to your routine.’
4. 20% of Americans Have Had Sex with a Co-Worker: Dr. Kerner explains, ‘Now that the vast majority of women work, it only makes sense that the workplace is becoming a hotbed of sexual activity. First off, most affairs now occur between co-workers. And those people who are still single are spending more and more time at work, so it only makes sense that with limited time comes a limited pool of candidates. If you’re married, watch out for the flirty friendships that lead to emotional infidelity and then sexual infidelity. If you’re single and interested in someone at work, make sure that he’s in a different department and certainly not anyone you report to or who reports to you…Proceed with caution across the work-sex boundary.’
5. Two Minutes before Ejaculation Qualifies as Premature: Premature ejaculation ‘doesn’t mean a guy is lazy, selfish or immature,’ says Dr. Kerner. ‘In fact, most of the latest science is showing that it could be genetic. Many guys who suffer from PE don’t even make it to intercourse, they ejaculate during foreplay.’ However, he adds, ‘There are many paths to the female orgasm.’
6. 25% of Americans Live with an Incurable STD: Dr. Carle urges, ‘Always take care of your own sexual health. If you have suspicions, get tested more frequently. Knowing your body as well as your partner’s and using honesty, sensitivity and safe sex can ensure your love is the focus, rather than your disease.’
7. 12% of Married People Sleep Alone: ‘Many couples sleep alone for different reasons,’ notes Dr. Kerner. ‘A spouse who snores, kids in the bed—in the long run a good night’s sleep may be more important to your health than an interrupted night in a shared bed.’ However, he cautions, ‘If you’re not sleeping in the same bed, for whatever reason, you are less likely to have sex and more likely to find yourself in a rut and then vulnerable to issues like infidelity.’