How Often Should Men Masturbate?
When it comes to sexual desire and sexual health, it’s normal to wonder how your habits compare to everyone else’s. Maybe you masturbate several times a day, rarely do so at all, or fall somewhere in between. The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Reliable data on the “ideal” frequency are scarce, and no large studies confirm that a certain routine is universally beneficial.
That said, how often men should masturbate is highly individual. Some people find excessive masturbation interferes with their daily life or signals a larger issue like sex or porn addiction. On the other hand, rarely or never ejaculating—whether alone or with a partner—could mean missing out on potential health benefits linked to frequent ejaculation, such as a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
In this article, we’ll explore what the research (and lack thereof) tells us about typical masturbation patterns among men, discuss how to find a frequency that feels right for you, and look at possible health benefits linked to regular ejaculation.
How Often Should I Masturbate? | How Often Should You Masturbate?
The optimal ejaculation frequency for optimal sexual health is difficult to determine. Most of the data we have on what’s considered normal comes from surveys performed informally or prone to bias.
When answering surveys, most men are likely to underreport their masturbation frequency due to factors such as:
embarrassment
shame
social taboos
How Often Do Men Masturbate?
In a 2022 study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers examined masturbation habits among a U.S. nationally representative survey of 6,000 men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The researchers found that 60 percent of men reported engaging in masturbation in the prior month compared to 36.5 percent of women. Additionally, 35.9 percent of men and 8.8 percent of women reported masturbating at least once per week in the prior year.
Interestingly, increased partnered sex frequency was associated with more frequent masturbation in women but not men.
Even though this is one of the more robust studies published on the topic of masturbation frequency, it’s still prone to bias since masturbation frequency was self-reported and likely underreported.
In a 2022 study from Norway, researchers found that 66 percent of women and 84 percent of men in their sample reported masturbating in the last month among the 4,160 people surveyed. Most women reported masturbating at least two to three times per month compared to two to three times per week being the most common response for men.
In a 2018 global survey from sex toy company TENGA, the surveyors found 57 percent of men between the ages of 18 and 24 masturbate weekly.
This survey was large in scale, with a sample size of more than 13,000 men, and the responses were weighted to be globally representative. However, the surveys were aimed at the public for marketing purposes and didn’t undergo the rigorous requirements to be published in scientific journals.
In general, from the available evidence, it seems that men often masturbate multiple times per week or month and possibly more frequently than women.
So How Often Should a Man Ejaculate?
As often as you like as long as it doesn’t negatively affect your life in ways such as:
causing physical pain from the friction
affect your relationship
become a compulsive need to do even in inappropriate settings
Some people have higher sexual desire than others, so the frequency you feel like you need sexual release is highly individual.
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The Benefits of Ejaculation
Most studies examining the potential benefits of sexual release focus on ejaculation frequency rather than simply masturbation frequency.
Frequent ejaculation has been linked to several health benefits, such as a potentially reduced risk of prostate cancer and better sleep.
Reduced Prostate Cancer Risk
Some evidence suggests that more frequent ejaculation frequency is linked to lower prostate cancer risk, but other evidence suggests conflicting findings.
Many of the currently available studies have designs prone to bias and rely on self-reported data, which may not always be accurate.
In a frequently cited longitudinal study from 2016 published in European Urology, researchers reported a potential inverse relationship between ejaculation frequency and with risk of developing prostate cancer in approximately 32,000 men. The prostate cancer risk was lower for men who ejaculated more than 21 times per month compared to men who only ejaculated only four to seven times per month.
The researchers concluded that ejaculating, whether from sexual activity or masturbation, appears to be beneficial in terms of prostate cancer risk, particularly for low-risk prostate cancer.
Researchers controlled for variables such as body mass index (BMI) and alcohol consumption, which can both affect prostate cancer risk, and still found an inverse correlation between men’s ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer rates.
The study relied on men to self-report their ejaculation frequency, which opens the data up to a certain degree of error. The results need to be interpreted with caution, but are potentially promising.
Better Sleep After Ejaculation
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence and some scientific evidence that ejaculation may improve time to sleep by promoting relaxation and better sleep.
In a 2019 study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, researchers examined the perceived benefit of sexual activity for improving sleep quality and time to sleep.
In the study, a total of 778 participants (442 women and 336 men) were surveyed online about their sexual lives and sleep habits.
The researchers found that orgasms that occurred with a partner, whether from penetrative sex or other forms of stimulation, were associated with perceived favourable sleep outcomes.
They also found that masturbation was associated with a perception of better sleep quality and latency, meaning a shorter amount of time required to fall asleep.
Some other research has been conflicting. For example, in a 2023 study, researchers found that only partnered sex with orgasms was associated with a significantly reduced time to sleep and improved sleep quality in 256 males and females. Sexual activity without orgasms and masturbation weren’t associated with any change in sleep parameters, and there was no difference in male and female perceptions.
Improved Mood and Quality of Life
Orgasms and visible ejaculation usually occur together, but that’s not always in the case with some conditions, such as retrograde ejaculation.
It’s normal to feel temporarily relaxed after reaching orgasm. Feelings of relaxation occur due to the release of chemicals into your bloodstream such as dopamine and oxytocin. Your body also releases natural opioids after ejaculation, which can create a sense of euphoria.
If masturbating to orgasm helps improve your sleep, it may also help improve your mood and quality of life by helping you get more rest.
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How Many Times Can a Man Release Sperm in a Day?
There’s no precise limit to how many times a day men can release sperm. It takes months for sperm produced in your testicles to reach full maturity and your body is constantly sending sperm from your testicles to other areas in your reproductive tract where it can be released during orgasm. Each time you ejaculate, roughly 39 million sperm are released.
Even if you ejaculate multiple times per day some sperm will be released each time, although your sperm count may temporarily be lower after ejaculation. The ducts where sperm is kept for ejaculation are usually filled completely within three days.
Just like there’s no precise target that you should aim for when it comes to weekly masturbation or sex, there’s no specific amount of times that you can ejaculate in a day.
Most of the time, you’ll be able to masturbate or have sex again once you exit your refractory period — the period of time after you reach orgasm, in which you might find it difficult to get an erection again.
During the refractory period, you might find that you can’t consistently get hard, or that it takes more effort than normal to reach orgasm. The refractory period varies between people but may last roughly an hour.
How Often Does a Man Need to Ejaculate?
Ejaculating isn’t necessary to sustain life so there’s no particular amount of time that ejaculation needs to occur. Some males may be able to ejaculate seldom if they have low sex drives.
Although orgasm and ejaculation offer several benefits, there’s no specific target that you should aim for when it comes to weekly sex or masturbation.
Some people like having sex or masturbating every day, sometimes several times. Others prefer to have sex or masturbate once every few days, or even once a week or less.
When it comes to sex, it’s always best to do what you enjoy. If you feel like releasing sperm on a daily basis, or even more than once a day, go ahead. If you don’t feel in the mood for sex, take a break and either have sex or masturbate when you’re feeling in the mood.
Are There Any Negative Effects of Excessive Sperm Release?
No ill effects or side effects directly caused by masturbation have been reported in medical literature. There can be some indirect negative effects.
Shame and guilt
For some people, masturbation can lead to feelings of shame or guilt that may negatively impact their mood and mental health. For example, in a 2021 case study, researchers reported a case of masturbatory guilt leading to severe depression.
Fertility
If you frequently release sperm, it may harm your chances of conceiving if you’re currently trying to have a child. Allowing more time between periods of ejaculation can give your body time to replenish released sperm and improve sperm motility and quantity. Your ejaculatory ducts will likely be full within three days. That’s also why it’s generally recommended to avoid ejaculating 48 hours before donating sperm.
Sex Addiction
Sex addiction, or compulsive sexual behaviour, is when you become obsessed with sexual thoughts and behaviour. People with sex addiction may engage in risky sexual behaviour or engage to the point where it impacts other aspects of their lives such as their employment or relationship.
It’s important to seek help if you believe you may be dealing with sex addiction. Many people can treat sex addiction with talk therapies such as psychotherapy or counselling with a sex therapist.
Friction and Physical Symptoms
It’s important to consider taking a break if frequent sex or excessive masturbation is causing physical problems, such as bruising or friction burns. You can take it easy for a few days and return when the soreness goes away.
Some men who masturbate with a tight grip may develop “death grip syndrome” where their penis becomes desensitized during sexual intercourse. Masturbating with a looser grip may help prevent this condition.
Common Myths About Ejaculation and Health
Just like with anything sex-related, there are lots of myths out there about sex, ejaculation and your health. We’ve busted a few common ejaculation-related myths below:
Semen retention produces health benefits. There’s no known benefit to resisting the urge to orgasm or semen retention on a long-term basis for your well being.
Ejaculating reduces your levels of testosterone. Although some research has found a small link between male masturbation and fluctuations in free testosterone, there’s no clear evidence that ejaculating causes low testosterone.
Masturbating causes erectile dysfunction (ED). Masturbation doesn’t cause erectile dysfunction. However, there may be a link between pornography consumption and sexual dysfunction, which we’ve discussed in our guide to pornography and ED.
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Conclusion | Frequency of Masturbation
There’s no official recommendation for the number of times a man should ejaculate or the amount of masturbation deemed optimal. In general, it’s alright to masturbate as often as you feel is appropriate based on your preferences as long as it isn’t negatively impacting your relationship or other aspects of your daily life or sex life.
There may be some potential health benefits to regular ejaculation, like managing helping aid sleep and reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Masturbating hasn’t directly been found to cause any health problems, but some men might feel guilt or shame that can negatively impact their mood.
If you’re concerned with how often you’re masturbating, you may benefit from speaking with a healthcare professional for medical advice. They can help you figure out if your frequency is concerning or a potential size of sex addiction or reassure you that it’s perfectly normal.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.