This is how long sex actually lasts for most Aussie couples.

How long sex should last is a mystifying question that’s been plaguing lovers since time immemorial.

But according to one researcher from the University of Queensland, there are as many commonalities as there are variants.

Considering factors such as birth control and circumcision, Dr Brendan Zietsch and his team of researchers found that while penetration can last anywhere from as little as 33 seconds to as long as 44 minutes, the average time for most sexually active Australians was five minutes and 40 seconds.

The findings did not include foreplay or any kind of pre-game entertainment, but simply from the time of entry to the time of ejaculation.

Unsurprisingly, Zietsch explained the difficulty he and other researchers have experienced in collecting the data, writing for The Conversation, "People don't necessarily know how long they go for.

"Sex isn't something people normally do while monitoring the bedside clock, and unassisted time measuring may be difficult during a spontaneous lovemaking session."

But determined to know more, the researchers found 500 couples from around the world willing to participate in the experiment. Couples were then asked to use a stopwatch to time their intercourse over a four-week period.

"That is as practically awkward as it sounds," Zietsch says. "Participants pressed 'start' at penile penetration and 'stop' at ejaculation."

But awkwardness aside, the research did manage to unearth some pretty fascinating findings.

Firstly, it turns out that performance times are fairly universal, with the UK, the US, Spain and the Netherlands all clocking out at around the same time. The only clear outsider was Turkey, who tapped out at an average rate of 3.7 minutes.

It was also discovered that the older the couple the shorter the sex, and that the use of or absence of a condom did not affect intercourse times amongst couples.

And while Zietsch acknowledges that timers, stopwatches and the need to perform at a high standard may have affected that all important mood a little, he says, "Science is rarely perfect, and this is the best we've got."