Singapore - Singaporean men think they should be Supermen in bed: Survey

SINGAPORE - Singaporean men seem to expect themselves to be 'Supermen' in the bedroom, so claims a survey conducted by Society for Men's Health.

'What's Normal?' surveyed 490 Singaporeans of different ages and backgrounds and found that 65.4 per cent of men polled believe that sex should last longer than 20 minutes.

This is in sharp contrast to the 47.6 per cent of women who believe so.

In a previous study done across five countries in 2009, the average time from penetration to ejaculation - known as the intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) - for men is six minutes.

In 'What's Normal?', when Singaporeans were asked how long they believe a man should last during sexual intercourse, only 7.3 per cent said that it should take between three and nine minutes.

The majority of respondents believed it was 20 to 30 minutes, chosen by 38.2 per cent, while 19 per cent said sex should last more than 30 minutes.

Another 32.7 per cent believed 10 to 15 minutes was the norm.

Commenting on the findings, President of the Society for Men's Health, Prof Peter Lim, said that Singaporean men are saying that they expect to be "Supermen in the bedroom".

"This unrealistic perception of the time between penetration and ejaculation can lead to a range of performance anxieties," he said.

Stressing the importance of seeking medical advice he said, "Premature ejaculation is one of the most common male sexual health problems globally, with as many as one in three Singapore men suffering from the condition.

When respondents were asked what they would do if they, or their partner experience premature ejaculation, only 13.5 per cent said they would seek medical advice.

This low numbers is cause for alarm, according to Prof Lim who added that the condition can be treated with a range of behavioral therapy as well as the a drug called Priligy, which was launched in Singapore last year.

Other findings: Frequency of sex

The survey also found that Singaporean couples could be unrealistic when it comes to the number of times couples have sex.

Medical research indicates that couples have sex on average 1.5 times a week.

However, 44.9 per cent of respondent believe that the optimum frequency should be between two to three times a week, while another 9.8 per cent believe it should happen every day.

Only 14.1 per cent believe sex should occur less frequently than once a week.

Prof Lim believes the results are encouraging as it shows that Singaporeans understand the importance of sex in maintaining a healthy relationship.

"However, given today's hectic lifestyle, many may find the actual frequency is lower than what they want. Couples should make the time to be intimate as it leads to a stronger more fulfilling relationship," Prof. Lim advised.

'What's normal?' also found that as couples age, their expectations of the frequency of sex declines, with 'once a week' the most popular choice for Singaporeans 46 years and older.

Other findings: Who should initiate sex?

When it comes to who should initiate sex, an overwhelming majority of Singaporeans polled, 70.4 per cent, believe that sex should be initiated by whoever is in the mood.

While 19.8 per cent believe it is up to the man to make the first move, 5.7 per cent favour the women being the initiating partner. For others, it becomes a matter of negotiation, as 4.1 per cent believe the time for sex should be negotiated in advance.

The survey found that Singaporeans older than 55 still hold more traditional views on gender roles when it comes to sex. In this group 40.5 per cent believe that the man should initiate sex, while only 35.7 per cent accept that either partner should be the instigator if their mood is right.

YourHealth, AsiaOne

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