I'm telling y'all, it never fails. I don't care what a married couple is going through, if I'm in a session with two people and I ask them about their sex life, 8.5 times out of 10, it's suffering on some level. What I mean by that is, when a couple is experiencing "issues", if it's not directly connected to their sex life, their sex life is somehow affected by it. An example of this is when I ask two people how their sex life is going and one (or both) of them respond with, "When we have it, it's fine. We just don't have the time."
Uh-huh. You don't have the time or you don't make the time? 'Cause you know what? If I asked those same people how much time they spent on their Instagram over the past few days, I bet they made time to do that. Shoot, word on the street is most people spend an hour a day on IG. That's seven hours a week. Now get this. Men, on average, can have an orgasm in five minutes while it takes us about 14 minutes; a mere fraction of an hour. So yeah, that "no time thing" doesn't really fly with me and my clients know it. Whatever is truly important to us, we will prioritize (check out "10 Simple Ways Married Couples Can Make More Time For Sex") and if you're married, SEX SHOULD BE A PRIORITY (check out "10 Wonderful Reasons Why Consistent Sex In Marriage Is So Important").
Besides, it's not like you need a ton of time to physically and emotionally connect with your partner on the sex tip. I recently read that you can make sparks fly by simply putting in six minutes for foreplay and then sex minutes for afterplay. Why just six minutes? Good question. Let's see.
The Beauty Behind the Six-Minute Rule When It Comes to Sexual Satisfaction
So, the gist of the study is this. The Trojan Condoms and the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada got 1500 Canadians between the ages of 18-24 together to see how much foreplay they needed in order to feel sexually satisfied.
What the majority of them (55 percent of men and 56 percent of women) said was they needed approximately six minutes of kissing, cuddling or some form of foreplay prior to intercourse, followed by six minutes of the same on the back end. In fact, 61 percent of the women who participated in the study said that they were unable to have an orgasm without it.
And just why is six minutes so important? While I was checking out an article about some of the things that you can get done in seven minutes or less, some of the things on the list included—writing someone a note, memorizing a Bible verse, making your bed, putting together a to-do list, stretching. What I personally found all of those things to have in common is, while they aren't "big things", doing them makes the day flow so much better. A note can make you feel closer to someone else. A Bible verse can spiritually empower and center you. A made-up bed can reduce clutter. A to-do list can organize your day and, stretch can make you feel stronger and more flexible.
Well, if you devote six minutes of kissing, cuddling and/or foreplay before sex, can you see how that also can make intercourse "flow better" too? Kissing makes sex more emotionally intimate. Cuddling is a great way to destress while emotionally connecting to your partner. Foreplay? You can check out articles on our site like "These 10 Foreplay Hacks Can Take Your Sex Game To Another Level", "How To Experience Amazing Foreplay (When You and Yours Are Apart)" and "Ashley Graham & Her Husband Say Prayer Is The Ultimate Form Of Foreplay" to get an idea of how big of a fan of it we are.
Now for the skeptics in the back who are probably thinking, "Of course, it only takes six minutes for people under the age of 25; they're horny as hell, anyway", here's something else to consider. Last summer, I did a little digging around to see how long oral sex "should" take and the conclusion was that it was about 15 minutes for cunnilingus and 10-11 minutes for fellatio. That's not a ton of more time than this study. So yeah, while the raging hormones of a 21-year-old may not require as much, umm, effort as say, someone who is 35 or 40, if you're over 25, you probably don't need as much time as you think.
It's all about quality, not quantity.
OK, so if you want to test this six-minute rule theory out, try this. Most songs are somewhere between 3-4 minutes long. Not too long ago, I actually took a stroll down memory's lane and listened to the Lenny Kravitz's co-written and co-produced Madonna banger "Justify My Love"; it's five minutes long. Anyway, put it or two of your favorite jams on and focus on doing nothing other than kissing or touching your partner until the songs fade out. See if that doesn't get you to the point of wanting to tear each other's clothes off, get totally get it on, and then have a mind-blowing orgasm. Report back if it does.
Most of us have heard of the teenage game "Seven Minutes in Heaven". According to research, you can have the orgasms of your dreams in a minute less than that—if you dare. It's totally worth testing out. Why not try it? Tonight.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
6 Signs You're A Sexually Mature Woman
Here's How To Make Morning Sex...Sexier
Blow Your Man's Mind By Giving Him This Tantalizing Massage
Want A More Intense Orgasm? These Tips Are Sure To Make You Cream
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Why can’t (more) singles just be single and be okay with that? Good Lord. Why does there need to be some sort of relational play-on-words to make it sound like we’re with someone — even if we’re not?
Now masturdating? Even though it’s not even close to being a “real” word, it’s something that also brought a laugh outta me — although it was then followed by a genuine smile. The laugh because I almost immediately caught the play-on-words. The smile was due to the intention behind it all.
If you’re not familiar with what masturdating is and you’re curious about why you should even care, take a few moments to at least skim through what it’s about and why I think participating, as a single person, is a pretty cool (and effective) concept.
@knotlukas Masturdate: a date w oneself
What’s Masturdating All About?
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Masturdating. Okay, so let the word marinate for just a moment. What does it sound like? Yeah…exactly. And since a huge part of masturbation centers around self-pleasure, it’s cool to explore how “self-dating” could produce similar (as far as pleasure is concerned in a broader sense) results. Because masturdating is all about spending quality time with yourself, pampering yourself, treating yourself— and yes, taking yourself out on dates.
Any of you who may think that masturdating is a consolation prize — and a pitiful one at that — for not being able to go out with another human being or get that dream $200 first date that social media was all in a tizzy about last year (bookmark that) — personally, I think that you’re the demographic who needs to try out masturdating first and the most. Why? Off top, I’ll share my three good reasons.
3 Reasons To Strongly Consider Masturdating
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1. It’s an intimate way to get to know yourself better. I’ve been working with couples for a pretty long time at this point and if there’s a pattern that I see arise, OFTEN, it’s that two people are oftentimes so busy trying to “find their person” that they didn’t even know who they were. As a direct result, they found themselves in a relationship with someone who only complemented the “kiddie pool version” of who they were.
That’s why it can be so beneficial to spend time getting to know yourself on the “deep end” of things: what makes you tick, what your passions are, what you want most out of life, what are your interests beyond obvious things — and masturdating can help you to discover all of this. Whether it’s traveling alone or taking out a weekend to drink some wine and journal, the more you get to know yourself, the clearer you’ll be about who complements you on a romantic and friendship level.
2. It will definitely help to boost your confidence levels. I guess since I’m an ambivert, I don’t really get why people freak out at the mere thought of going to a restaurant or movie alone. Personally, I think it requires a helluva lot more energy and gumption to wait around and plan stuff with other people (#Elmoshrug). However, whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, there’s no way around the fact that the more comfortable you get with doing things alone, the more your confidence levels will increase — no, soar — because of it.
One article that I read on the topic said that doing things alone can make you more creative, improve your mental health, and help you to be totally okay with being alone (so that you’re not “needy” for other people’s attention). A psychotherapist from a New York Times article on the benefits of spending time alone said, “Getting better at identifying moments when we need solitude to recharge and reflect can help us better handle negative emotions and experiences, like stress and burnout.” And when you’re able to stare negativity in its face without flinching, how could that not make you bolder, more self-secure, and hopeful about your life?
3. It will teach you to value your time more effectively. In every facet of your world, you’re gonna operate from a healthier place if you’re operating from a “full cup” rather than an empty one. When it comes to this topic, think about it — if you’re constantly waiting on someone to call you to go out or wishing for a dream date with some guy, all you’re doing is wasting precious time that you could be spending taking a cooking class or hell, hiring a chef to make you dinner at your own home.
Indeed, waiting has two sides to it: when it’s in the form of patience, it is indeed a virtue, yet when it’s wrapped up in the notion that you’re not really living life unless you have an audience…it is totally working against you. Choose wisely.
10 Solo Date Ideas To Help You To “Master” Masturdating
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So, what if you’re someone who has either never considered actually masturdating before or you don’t really know what to do beyond dinner and the movies? Here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Attend a workshop or masterclass that you’re interested in. If there’s something that you’ve always wanted to learn, sign up for a workshop or masterclass. The cool thing about this option is there are probably some in your city, as well as some that you can find online (like here) that are convenient and affordable.
2. Binge-read at a local coffee shop. Aside from their coziness and oftentimes inviting scents, I once read that a lot of us gravitate to coffee shops because we can be around people without having to actually socialize with them. So, if you want to “hang out” while still being able to enjoy a bit of solitude, take a book that you’ve been trying to finish to a local coffee shop, order your favorite latte, and sit in a big-ass comfy chair. Usually, you can sit there for hours, and the staff will be just fine with it (another bonus).
3. Have a spa day in the next town. You can never go wrong with a spa day. And while going with a friend can be fun, sometimes there’s too much talking transpiring to be able to fully chill out and relax. So, go off of the grid, get a change of scenery, and hit up a spa in the next city (or town). There are lots of studies out here supporting that day trips or “daycations” can actually be really good for your long-term health and well-being.
4. See a community play. Some of the best solo dates that I’ve ever been on consisted of taking in some of the local arts in my city. What’s really cool about this particular option is, oftentimes, they are extremely inexpensive, if not totally free of charge (in exchange for making a donation or putting money into a tip jar).
5. Plan a trip. Whenever people say something along the lines of, “If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed,” I know that they low-key have some (additional) healing to do from past disappointments. There’s simply too much intel out here to support that anticipation (of good stuff) makes us more motivated and optimistic, keeps our dopamine levels up, and makes life more exciting overall.
Since traveling alone is more cost-effective, gives you the freedom to do whatever you want (when you want), and increases the possibility of meeting new people and having new experiences on your journey — why not devote a day this weekend to planning a solo trip? All the way around, it’s good for you.
6. Try your hand at your own “$200 date.” Uh-huh. Roll your eyes if you want to, but it’s real easy to talk left about how a man should be able to just drop $200 like it’s nothing…until you actually try to do it. So yes, while taking yourself out on this type of date could serve as a bit of a reality check, it can also “scratch the itch” of waiting on some dude to do it for you. It’s also way less emotionally draining because, at least when you’re taking your own self out, it’s guaranteed that you’ll enjoy the company…right?
7. DIY some pampering. When you get a chance, check out “5 Reasons You Should Unapologetically Pamper Yourself,” “Want To Love On Yourself? Try These 10 Things At Home.,” “I’ve Got Some Ways For You To Start Pampering Your Soul,” and “When's The Last Time You Actually Pampered Your Vagina?” The bottom line here is pampering is all about, not mere self-maintenance; it’s all about treating yourself to levels of EXTREME SELF-INDULGENCE. So, if nothing else tickles your fancy on this list, at least consider doing that, chile.
8. Feed your creativity. Something that I used to be really good at is art. That said, one of my goddaughters is insanely talented, so she has reminded me to tap back into it. Also, a big part of what got me into the writing world is poetry; I actually used to be a house poet at a local spot. Sometimes, my best quality time moments with myself have been revisiting these creative sides of me — and this is definitely easier to do (and enjoy) alone.
9. Try some stargazing. When’s the last time you took a blanket into your backyard, laid down on it, and just stared at the stars for hours on end? While some say that stargazing can teach you to be mindful, others say that being in that form of nature reduces stress, while others believe that looking up at the universe at night can increase your attention span. All solid reasons to give it a shot, if you ask me.
10. DO. ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING. Let me tell you something that nobody will ever be able to make me feel bad about: doing absolutely nothing. I’ve got data to back me up. Good Housekeeping shares that doing nothing can help you decide how you want to respond or react to certain things. I like howThe Guardian says that taking this approach helps you to regain control of what you give your attention to.
TIME magazine says that it can ultimately make you more productive.BBC offers up that it can help you tap into your ingenuity.Henry Ford Health says that it can make you kinder and a better problem-solver. So, if you want to invest in yourself, do nothing sometimes.
Closing Thoughts from the Lovely Javicia Leslie
While some of y'all may know Javicia Leslie from being the former Batwoman, I discovered her back in the day from the indie series Chef Julian (and yes, "Julian" was right to say that "Mo" looks like Tatyana Ali...the real ones know). Sometimes I'll hop on her IG to see what she's got going on and this story popped up within a few hours of me penning this...so, I took it as hella confirmation.
TREAT YO SELF. WAIT FOR NO ONE.
WAIT FOR NO ONE. TREAT YO SELF.
RINSE AND REPEAT.
_____
Sooo…what kind of masturdating plans do you have for this coming weekend? While going out with others has its perks, hanging out with yourself has a ton of ‘em too. Enjoy!
No…for real. ENJOY!
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