Less impulsive men are more likely to last longer in bed, a study has found.
Being a good planner, practicing patience and approaching situations without urgency are all qualities that make men less likely to suffer extreme premature ejaculation, according to Turkish researchers.
Meanwhile those who often act on their impulses lack stamina during intimate situations.
The scientists divided 80 men aged 18 to 45 into four subgroups: those who suffered no sexual or psychological problems, those who ejaculated before sex, within 15 seconds after penetration, within 15 to 30 seconds, and within 30 to 60 seconds.
Those with the shortest times tended to score highest on impulsivity measures, particularly in the areas of urgency and impulsiveness.
They also showed more sensation-seeking behavior and lower dedication to tasks.
Researchers suggested there could be a relationship between low self-control and extremely rapid ejaculation, as men who struggle to tame their urges tend to act without thinking and are less likely to be able to delay sexual gratification.
Anxiety and depression were also more prevalent among men with the condition.
Less impulsive men are more likely to last longer in bed, a study has found
On average, those with the sexual problem scored roughly six times higher on measures of depression and nearly five times more on anxiety compared to healthy men.
Erectile problems that are coupled with mood disorders are typically treated with antidepressants.
However, the researchers suggested approaches that improve self-regulation—such as cognitive behavioural therapy—could help men last longer in bed.
Premature ejaculation is when a man climaxes earlier than normal. Up to 30 per cent of men in the UK are said to be affected by the condition.
Studies suggest it normally takes men about five-and-a-half minutes to orgasm during sex. But for about one in three, this occurs within three minutes.
Scientists say that both psychological and physical factors can lead to the problem, including stress, depression and anxiety.
One 2014 study detailed the benefits of kegels for men dealing with lifelong premature ejaculation
However it is said that a regimen of tensing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, known as kegel exercises, has been shown to help extend the length of intimacy by two minutes.
One 2014 study asked male participants to perform kegel exercises for an hour three times a week for 12 weeks.
In the study, published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Urology, Italian doctors from the Sapienza Univeristy of Rome included 40 men who had dealt with premature ejaculation for much of their lives.
By the end of the study, 83 per cent of the patients had gained control of their ejaculatory reflex and were able to ‘last’ about two minutes and forty seconds longer than the average duration at the start of the study—about 39 seconds.
