How long can the average man stay erect?

Key takeaways:

• People with penises can often stay erect for about 5–10 minutes; however, there is no standard set time on how long the average man can stay erect.
• Different factors like medications, stress, fatigue, excess alcohol consumption, and medications can affect the duration of erection in the average man.
• Things you can do to make your erections last longer include exercising regularly, eating healthy meals, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting your alcohol intake.

The average man doesn't necessarily need to stay erect for too long in order to have satisfying sex. And health experts don't have a standard duration of time ideal for erection to last.

"There is no ideal duration of erection for sex. However, a normal erection can last an average of 10 minutes in the average man," Chike John Okeke, MBBS, MD(Ph.D.), FMCS (Urol), a consultant urologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, told SemicHealth.

Because people view sex differently, some only care about climaxing, while others want sex to last as long as possible. For people with penises, the latter means harder and longer-lasting erections. 

Such expectations have put some people under unnecessary pressure, popping pills like Viagra (even when they don’t have erectile dysfunction) and taking energy drinks so that they can sustain their erections and last longer in bed. 

Meaning of an erection

An erection is simply the hardening of the penis that occurs when a person is aroused. 

Most of the time, the penis is flaccid and hangs down in front of the scrotum. But, during an erection, it becomes engorged with blood. This causes it to get stiff, enlarge, and stand erect, away from the body.

An erection is often triggered when a person sees, feels, or thinks about something that turns them on. 

There are also times when erections happen randomly for no particular reason, e.g., a person can sleep and wake up with an erection (even without having a sex dream).

How long can the average man stay erect?

There is no standard set time for a penis to remain erect when aroused. Most scientific sources show that erections in the average man typically last a few minutes to about half an hour.1

It is possible to have “premature ejaculation” or ejaculation that is too fast.

Some people also have erectile dysfunction (a condition that makes it difficult to get and sustain an erection firm enough to have sex). However, one can’t give a specific figure as to the duration of time a penis should remain erect in a healthy person after it is aroused.

Also, unless you and your partner only care about penetrative sex, an erection is not all that is needed to achieve an orgasm. You can try foreplay and oral sex. 

No one should be pressured into having sex or erections sustained for too long. In fact, an older study conducted across five countries indicated that an erection in penile-vaginal sex typically lasts about 5.4 minutes.

Also, it is unhealthy for people with penises to stay erect for too long. "Erections lasting for more than 4 hours are abnormal and are termed priapism," Okeke said. 

How erection occurs

To understand how an erection occurs, it will help if you understand a little about the anatomy of the penis as well as the role the brain plays in initiating and sustaining an erection. 

The penis is predominantly composed of the shaft, the longest part. The penis shaft ends in the glans, or head, which contains numerous nerve endings, making it very sensitive.

The penis also has cylinder-shaped chambers called corpora cavernosa that run its entire length. The chambers contain a network of blood vessels that fill up the space like a sponge. Two main arteries and several veins also move blood in and out of the two chambers.

When the brain gets excited by a sight, feeling, or thought, it sends nerve impulses to the blood vessels that bring blood to the penis. 

The arteries in the penile start to loosen up and open up, letting blood flow into the corpora cavernosa. The veins close up simultaneously, so the blood doesn’t flow out. This leaves the penis engorged with blood.

A membrane around the corpora cavernosa also helps the penis stay hard by trapping the blood. After arousal (or after ejaculation), the flow of blood stops, and the penis returns to a flaccid state.

Factors that can affect the duration of erection

A variety of factors (both physical and psychological) can affect erection and how long it lasts, such as:

• Fatigue
• Stress
• Excessive drinking of alcohol
• Use of recreational drugs, such as cocaine, opiates, and nicotine
• Anxiety
• Distraction
• Not being at ease with a sexual partner
• Disturbing thoughts
• Medical conditions such as prostate cancer, depression, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, and obesity
• Sickle cell disease (can cause priapism)

Can medications affect the duration of erection?

Aside from physical and physiological factors, certain medications can also affect how long a person can stay erect.

Medications that can affect the duration of erection include drugs for treating prostate diseases such as goserelin and alpha-reductase inhibitors, which are hormonal agents and antihypertensive medications, Okeke explained.

Other drugs that may affect erection include:

• Antidepressants
• Antihistamine medications
• Chemotherapy medicines
• Opiate analgesics
• Medicines for Parkinson’s disease

If you are on any medication that seems to be affecting your erection or your sexual life, you should discuss alternative treatments with your doctor. 

What can be done to make erections last longer

You can talk to your doctor if you have an erection challenge that makes it difficult to enjoy sex. If your doctor is a general practitioner, they may send you to a urologist, who will diagnose you and give you the right treatment, which may include medicines.

Some drugs can make erections last longer. Urologists prescribe these drugs after evaluating patients who have erection issues, like erectile dysfunction, Okeke explained.

While there is no specific standard set duration at which the average man should stay erect, there are things you can do to improve your erection and sexual life. Other things you can do to enhance erections or make them last longer include:

• Exercising regularly
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Losing weight, if you are overweight
• Eating meals that promote erection
• Getting enough sleep
• Reducing stress
• Communicating with your partner and building a strong, intimate relationship with them
• Trying different sexual positions and exploring new things

When to be concerned about erectile dysfunction

Different factors, which can be physical, physiological, or psychological, can affect how long a person can stay erect.

But if you can't get hard enough or can't stay erect enough to have satisfying penetrative sex, you should see a doctor. You may have erectile dysfunction (ED). When a person has erectile dysfunction, it's hard for them to get and keep an erection long enough to have satisfying sex. 

Symptoms of erectile dysfunction include poor erection, erection not sufficient for vaginal penetration, premature ejaculation, and loss of libido, Okeke explained. 

Fortunately, erectile dysfunction is not life-threatening and is also treatable. With the right treatment plan, lifestyle, and dietary changes, you will start experiencing increased libido, normal erection, and satisfying sex.