Most men report masturbating several times a week, while most women masturbate about once a week or less. Those are broad averages, though, and the real range is enormous. Some people masturbate daily, others a few times a year, and both ends of that spectrum are considered normal. There is no medically defined “right” number.
What the Numbers Actually Look Like
The most comprehensive U.S. data comes from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, conducted through Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute. Among men ages 18 to 59, about a quarter masturbated a few times per month to once a week. Roughly 20% reported two to three times per week, and fewer than 20% reported four or more times a week. The remaining men reported less frequent activity or none at all.
For women, most reported masturbating once a week or less. More recent survey data suggests that number may be climbing: one analysis found women now average about eight times a month, with 26% reporting once a week and 27% reporting two to three times a week. The shift likely reflects changing social attitudes more than any biological change, since women have historically underreported solo sexual activity in surveys.
One consistent finding across studies: women reach orgasm about 81% of the times they masturbate, regardless of age or life stage. That’s a notably higher rate than during partnered sex for most women.
How Frequency Changes With Age
Masturbation frequency generally peaks in late adolescence and early adulthood, then gradually declines. The drop isn’t dramatic for most people. Men in their 40s and 50s still report frequencies close to those in their 20s, though the highest-frequency group (four or more times per week) shrinks with age.
For women, menopause appears to be the most significant inflection point. Research from the Kinsey Institute found that postmenopausal women reported lower frequency compared to premenopausal and perimenopausal women. Postmenopausal women also rated masturbation as less important in their lives overall. Hormonal shifts, particularly declining estrogen, play a role here, though individual variation is wide.
Single vs. Partnered People
A common assumption is that people in relationships masturbate less, and the data does support that, though not as dramatically as you might expect. A large study of nearly 9,000 participants found that single people masturbated more frequently than those with a sexual partner. On a standardized scale, single participants scored about 50% higher in frequency. But the key finding was that partnered people still masturbated regularly. Having a satisfying sex life doesn’t eliminate solo activity for most people, and researchers found no evidence that masturbation within a relationship signals dissatisfaction.
What Happens in Your Body
Orgasm from masturbation triggers the release of dopamine, which produces feelings of pleasure and reward, and oxytocin, which promotes relaxation and emotional warmth. Together, these chemicals counteract cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. That’s why many people feel calmer and more relaxed afterward.
There’s also an interesting neurochemical effect that researchers are still exploring. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that masturbation to orgasm increased blood levels of a naturally produced compound that activates the same receptors as cannabis. The increase was roughly 16 to 18% in both men and women. This compound is part of the body’s built-in system for regulating mood, pain, and relaxation, which may partly explain the sense of ease people describe after orgasm.
Sleep and Stress Effects
Many people masturbate specifically to fall asleep, and there’s growing evidence that it works. A pilot study tracking objective sleep data in participants found that both solo masturbation and partnered sex improved sleep efficiency and reduced wakefulness after initially falling asleep, compared to nights with no sexual activity. The improvements showed up in objective measurements, not just self-reports.
One wrinkle: participants tended to attempt sleep later on nights they masturbated, which offset some of the benefit in total sleep duration. The quality of sleep improved, but the quantity didn’t necessarily change. For people using masturbation as a sleep aid, timing matters.
Prostate Health in Men
One of the most cited findings in this area comes from a study that followed 32,000 men over 18 years. Men who ejaculated most frequently, at least 21 times per month, had a 20% lower chance of developing prostate cancer compared to men who ejaculated four to seven times per month. Ejaculation frequency included all sources: masturbation, partnered sex, and nocturnal emissions. The mechanism isn’t fully understood, but one theory is that frequent ejaculation clears the prostate of potentially harmful substances before they can accumulate.
When Frequency Becomes a Problem
There’s no threshold number of times per week or month that crosses into “too much.” Frequency alone doesn’t determine whether masturbation is a problem. What matters is the relationship between the behavior and the rest of your life.
The World Health Organization recognizes compulsive sexual behavior disorder in its diagnostic manual. The criteria have nothing to do with how often someone masturbates and everything to do with control and consequences. The key markers are a persistent inability to control sexual impulses despite wanting to, sexual behavior becoming the central focus of someone’s life to the point of neglecting health or responsibilities, repeated failed attempts to cut back, and continuing the behavior despite negative consequences or getting little satisfaction from it. These patterns need to persist for six months or more and cause real impairment in daily life.
Importantly, feeling guilty about masturbation because of moral or religious beliefs doesn’t meet the clinical threshold on its own. Distress that comes entirely from disapproval of the behavior, rather than from its actual consequences, is specifically excluded from the diagnosis. If masturbation isn’t interfering with your work, relationships, health, or daily functioning, the frequency is almost certainly fine, whatever that number happens to be.