7 Pointers for Having a Sex Marathon

A new survey (conducted by Unilever Compressed deodorants, so just bear that in mind) found that men, when imagining their "ideal day," would have sex for four hours and nineteen minutes, on average. This is about an hour more than the time they'd choose to spend with friends and family, or sleep. I read this news just as my roommate had completed the New York City half marathon, something my body would never, ever allow me to do. But a four hour sex marathon? I like the sound of that. And like any marathon, an hours-long sex extravaganza requires extreme endurance, preparation, and, of course, hydration. Here are some pro-tips, for both training and day-of execution, that will allow you to spend an unreasonable amount of time in bed with your mate.

1. Masturbate more.

Think of this as a daily jog that you can execute in the comfort of your own bed. Masturbating regularly will improve your sexual stamina. Sex specialist Dr. Laura Berman recommends the following exercise: "Stimulate yourself but stop before you reach orgasm (if orgasm is a 10 on the pleasure scale, allow yourself to reach a 5 or a 6). Then bring yourself back down again; take some calming, deep breaths. Now start climbing your way back up again. Do this a few times or give yourself a set limit on the clock."

2. Exercise exercise.

I know I just completely dismissed non-horizontal exercising, but improving your physical fitness will allow you to last longer by warding off the exhaustion that comes from being out of shape. Exercising regularly will strengthen your muscles and your heart, maximizing your sexual stamina (because let's be honest, it's hard to be turned on when you want to die from exhaustion.)

3. Eat right.

She Knows recommends loading up on foods high in Vitamin B-12, like eggs, beef, shellfish, and caviar (ha!). Why? B-12 helps with blood circulation (an essential component of orgasms) and boosts energy. There have also been claims that foods high in the vitamin can elevate your mood. While the science isn't totally there yet, I do know that eggs, beef, and shellfish have boosted my mood every time I've eaten them.

4. Hydrate.

Make sure to drink lots of water before, after, and during your sex marathon, which will come to a crashing halt if you find yourself dehydrated, dizzy, and weak. It's easy to forget to drink water when you're in the middle of something, especially something as all-consuming as an hours-long sexy times session, so make sure to have water by the bed. And if things go as planned, you'll be sweating a bunch, so you have to remember to rehydrate. Doing so will restore your body's fluids and maintain physical and mental functioning.

5. Take Breaks.

The last thing you want is to burn out at minute 20. To increase endurance, you'll want to take breaks between your bouts of high-intensity sexuality activity, whether you cool down with some light foreplay, a few minutes of Bob's Burgers, or some quality spooning action.

6. Choose your condoms strategically.

Condoms made with benzocaine, a numbing agent, allow men to last longer during sex, delaying ejaculation by (minimally) decreasing sensation on the penis. But make sure to try these out beforehand, especially if you have sensitive skin. And, this should be a given, but Men's Health advises to "avoid slathering lidocaine or benzocaine on your naked penis and then have sex without a condom — this could numb your partner’s vagina and feel uncomfortable for her."

7. Get creative.

Boring sex is no fun. No fun at all. Especially when you're planning on going at it for a few hours, you'll want to keep things lively for you and your partner: switching positions, trying new toys, experimenting with role play, really anything to beat the monotony. Maybe these partner sex toys will help, or these exercise-inspired pointers.