Most women masturbate, and the most common frequency falls somewhere between a few times a week and a few times a month. Exact numbers vary by age and life stage, but across large surveys, roughly 60% to 75% of adult women report masturbating within the past year. There’s no “normal” number, and the range is wide.
What the Numbers Actually Look Like
In a nationally representative U.S. study of women aged 40 to 65, about two-thirds of the full sample had masturbated in the past year. The breakdown by life stage is revealing: 73% of perimenopausal women (those in the transition toward menopause, typically in their late 40s to early 50s) reported masturbating, compared with 66.5% of premenopausal women and 56% of postmenopausal women.
Perimenopausal women were also more likely to report masturbating a few times a week, while postmenopausal women more commonly reported about once a month. Among women over 60, roughly half continue to masturbate regularly. So while frequency does tend to decline with age, it doesn’t disappear.
For younger women in their 20s and 30s, survey data consistently shows higher overall rates of participation, with many reporting several times a week. But plenty of women in every age group masturbate daily, and plenty do so rarely or never. Both ends of the spectrum are common.
How Relationship Status Plays a Role
You might assume single women masturbate more often, but the data tells a more nuanced story. Women who are single and actively dating are actually more likely to have masturbated recently than women who are single and not dating. Being in a relationship doesn’t necessarily reduce solo sexual activity either. One study found that women in relationships who masturbated regularly reported higher sexual satisfaction than those who didn’t, whether partnered or single. Masturbation and partnered sex appear to complement each other rather than compete.
Orgasm Rates During Masturbation
Women reach orgasm during masturbation far more reliably than during partnered sex. Across age groups, women in the 40-to-65 study estimated they orgasmed about 81% of the time while masturbating, and that number held remarkably steady whether a woman was premenopausal, perimenopausal, or postmenopausal. That consistency suggests masturbation offers a reliable path to orgasm regardless of the hormonal changes that come with aging.
Sex toys play a role here. About 44% to 46% of women who masturbate use toys at least some of the time, and that rate stays consistent across age groups. Among women 60 and older who masturbated, those who used toys almost always were significantly more likely to orgasm consistently compared with women who rarely used them.
Physical Benefits Beyond Pleasure
Orgasm triggers a release of dopamine and oxytocin, which work against cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. That hormonal shift is why many women feel noticeably more relaxed afterward. The body also releases prolactin after orgasm, a hormone linked to sleepiness, which is why masturbation before bed can genuinely help you fall asleep faster.
For period-related discomfort, masturbation can provide real relief. The rush of dopamine and serotonin during orgasm acts as a natural pain reliever, helping with cramps, back pain, and headaches. For older women, regular masturbation can reduce vaginal dryness and decrease pain during intercourse by promoting blood flow to the pelvic area and maintaining tissue elasticity.
The Link to Sexual Satisfaction
One question researchers have explored is whether women who masturbate regularly feel better about their bodies or have higher self-esteem. A University of Iceland study found no significant connection between masturbation and either body image or self-esteem. Women who masturbated didn’t rate their bodies more positively than those who didn’t.
What the study did find was a clear link between regular masturbation and sexual satisfaction. Women who masturbated regularly reported significantly higher levels of sexual satisfaction, and this held true whether they were in a relationship or single. The likely explanation is straightforward: women who explore their own bodies learn what works for them, which makes all sexual experiences more satisfying. Self-knowledge translates directly into knowing what to ask for or how to guide a partner.
Why the Range Is So Wide
Some women masturbate daily. Some do it a few times a year. Some never do. All of these patterns are normal, and they’re shaped by a mix of factors: stress levels, hormone fluctuations, relationship dynamics, medications (especially antidepressants, which can lower libido), cultural or religious upbringing, and simple personal preference. Frequency also tends to shift throughout life. A woman who masturbates several times a week in her 30s might do so less often in her 60s, or she might not. There’s no trajectory everyone follows.
The consistent finding across research is that masturbation is a common, healthy behavior for women at every age, and the “right” frequency is whatever feels good to you.