More than half of women have difficulty achieving sexual satisfaction, according to sex researchers who are urging women to prioritize time in the bedroom.

The survey found rates of sexual desire were similar to those shown in international studies, but women appeared to have more problems with arousal and orgasm, said Deakin University psychology professor Marita McCabe.

"All up we found 55 per cent of women had a difficulty with sexual satisfaction," said McCabe, who presented the data at a recent sexuality conference in Australia.

"It seems women go into the bedroom and expect it will happen quickly, automatically, with orgasm, even be multi-orgasmic, but without spending the time to do so.

"They’re busy and stressed and not taking the time for their sexual expression."

The online survey questioned more than 400 women about their sex lives and sexual feelings, and found 65 per cent had some form of sexual dysfunction.

Half had a diagnosable sexual desire disorder, said McCabe, who oversaw the study by PhD student Katie Giles.

Anxiety and depression were found to be contributing factors, but stress and poor body image had the biggest influence on sexual interest and response.

McCabe said the results could help women feel that they are not alone, and that they can seek help.

Jane Ussher, a women’s health psychologist at the University of Western Sydney, said while she did not dispute the statistics, labelling a quarter of the population sexually dysfunctional was "not helpful."

"To talk about dysfunction implies some abnormality within the women," Ussher said.

"And while many women do have issues around sexual desire, especially in heterosexual relationships, that is very likely to be about the relationship rather than the woman herself."

She said there was strong evidence to suggest women with low desire regained their interest in sex when they re-partnered.