There are a lot of questions when you first begin dating someone, but one of the biggest is when exactly you should take the plunge and sleep together.
There are lots of reasons it can be difficult to know when the opportune time is, such as wanting things to continue and grow and not simply be a one night stand, but also not wanting them to lose interest and get bored of waiting, to worrying about what you should do and what all your friends are doing.
A survey conducted by Groupon asked 2000 adults about dating habits, and the results blasted the old cliché of waiting three dates before getting intimate. On average, eight dates was deemed the “acceptable” amount of time to wait before having sex with a new partner.
Regardless of this average ‘magic number’, everybody has their own opinion about when the right time is to get intimate. Sometimes situations or feelings change, and if you are comfortable have chemistry with somebody, should you deny yourself satisfaction?
According to the Dialog 2018 Love and Sex Survey, 23% of men said they would have sex after an hour or less of meeting someone, while only 5% of women said the same.
43% of men and 19% of women say they would have sex after one date, whereas 14% of women and 5% of men say you will have to marry them before they have sex.
Results of the survey also found that people aged 17-19 were most willing to wait. 20% of that age group said they would need to know someone for more than a month, and 13% said they would wait for six months, a year, or for marriage.
Realistically, there is no set or moral answer, as sex and relationships are personal and unique to each couple – it can and should vary for every person.
Communication is very important, as both parties need to feel ready. Relationships should move at a speed you are both comfortable with – all you need to do is talk about it.
