Why is it taking so long to reach orgasm while masturbating?

Dear Sarah,

I masturbate often and only a week ago it took about 20 minutes to reach orgasm. All of a sudden starting the other night, it took me about 1 hour, I didn’t change anything about my masturbating routine, so I am really confused about the change, is this normal?

Dear anonymous,

Orgasm through masturbation is often simpler for both men and women than reaching orgasm through intercourse or oral sex. When it takes longer than usual to reach climax through masturbation, you may wonder if something is wrong with you. Here’s what to do if it's taking too long.

You may not have changed the way you masturbate at all, but other changes in your life can impact your ability to reach orgasm with masturbation and through intercourse and oral sex. Have you been super stressed out about something recently, such as a big test, moving or breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend? A lot of major life changes can affect how quickly you are able to reach orgasm. Fortunately, with most life situations, they are temporary and you will probably be able to get back to your normal masturbation routine once the issue passes.

Reaching orgasm, for both men and women, requires you to be calm, relaxed and have a clear mind. If you’re busy thinking about something that happened during the day or isn’t totally concentrated on the pleasure you’re giving yourself, it may take quite a bit longer for you to climax, or you may be unable to orgasm.

This is especially true for women, but it can happen to men as well. If you’re not currently using visual stimulation during masturbation, give it a try. A picture or video may be all you need to distract your mind from the day's stress so you can focus on the task at hand.

If you truly suspect something is wrong with your ability to reach orgasm through masturbation, and you can’t find any reason why masturbating is taking unusually longer than it has in the past, go see your doctor. You don’t have to be afraid to talk to your doctor about sex or masturbation, because your doctor knows all about it.