Many people experience a sense that time seems to speed up as they age. What once felt like a long summer vacation as a child now seems to pass in the blink of an eye.
This perception is not just a figment of our imagination but a psychological phenomenon that has awakened the curiosity of researchers for a while now.
Why does time seem to pass faster as we age?
Understanding why time appears to accelerate can help us appreciate our moments more fully and even find ways to slow down this subjective feeling.
Gurleen Baruah,based in India, occupational psychologist and executive coach at That Culture Thing, said, “This happens because of a few key reasons that are actually pretty easy to relate to. Time feels faster because each year is a smaller part of our lives. As we age, a year becomes a smaller percentage of our total life. For a 5-year-old, a year is 20% of their life, but for a 50-year-old, it’s only 2%, making it seem to pass faster.”
Additionally, she states, our brains process fewer details as we age. When we’re young, our brains capture a lot of details, making time feel longer. As we age, fewer mental ‘snapshots’ are taken, making time feel like it’s speeding up.
Baruah continues, “When we’re young, we’re constantly encountering new things — new schools, new friends, new experiences. These new experiences require our brain to pay attention, which makes time feel slower and more filled with memories. As adults, we tend to settle into routines. When you do the same thing every day, there’s nothing new for your brain to process, and time seems to pass quickly because the days start to blend.”
How do new vs. familiar experiences impact our perception of time?
Baruah explains that when encountering something new, our brains work harder to process and store details, making time feel longer. For instance, a vacation feels long because it’s full of new experiences. Routine tasks don’t engage our brains as much, causing days to blend together and making time feel like it’s moving faster.
Have you ever felt like the years are flying by faster as you get older? Many people experience a sense that time seems to speed up as they age. What once felt like a long summer vacation as a child now seems to pass in the blink of an eye.
This perception is not just a figment of our imagination but a psychological phenomenon that has awakened the curiosity of researchers for a while now.
Why does time seem to pass faster as we age?
Understanding why time appears to accelerate can help us appreciate our moments more fully and even find ways to slow down this subjective feeling.
Gurleen Baruah, occupational psychologist and executive coach at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “This happens because of a few key reasons that are actually pretty easy to relate to. Time feels faster because each year is a smaller part of our lives. As we age, a year becomes a smaller percentage of our total life. For a 5-year-old, a year is 20% of their life, but for a 50-year-old, it’s only 2%, making it seem to pass faster.”
Additionally, she states, our brains process fewer details as we age. When we’re young, our brains capture a lot of details, making time feel longer. As we age, fewer mental ‘snapshots’ are taken, making time feel like it’s speeding up.
Baruah continues, “When we’re young, we’re constantly encountering new things — new schools, new friends, new experiences. These new experiences require our brain to pay attention, which makes time feel slower and more filled with memories. As adults, we tend to settle into routines. When you do the same thing every day, there’s nothing new for your brain to process, and time seems to pass quickly because the days start to blend.”
How do new vs. familiar experiences impact our perception of time?
Baruah explains that when encountering something new, our brains work harder to process and store details, making time feel longer. For instance, a vacation feels long because it’s full of new experiences. Routine tasks don’t engage our brains as much, causing days to blend together and making time feel like it’s moving faster.
“The brain is designed to pay more attention to new or unusual situations because they require more effort to process and understand. When something is new, your brain works harder which slows down your perception of time because it’s making a lot of ‘mental notes’ and storing more memories. With routine tasks, the brain takes fewer ‘mental snapshots,’ creating fewer memories which makes time feel like it’s moving quickly,” she says.
Can lifestyle changes help make time feel more expansive?
“Yes, lifestyle changes and certain practices can help us feel like we’re experiencing time more slowly and richly, but it’s more about intentionally living in the moment and connecting deeply with life,” says Baruah.
Some changes include:
Reflect on Life and Purpose: Setting meaningful goals and reflecting on them can make time feel more valuable.
Practice Gratitude: Noticing and appreciating small moments can make time feel fuller.
Slow Down and Notice: Paying attention to simple things, like nature, can stretch time.
Seek Novelty: Trying new activities breaks the routine and makes time feel longer.
Reflect on What You Love: Engaging in enjoyable activities makes time feel richer.
Keep Learning: Continuous learning keeps your brain active and makes time feel more fulfilling.
Courtesy: Indian Express
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
