Why Time Seems to Accelerate with Age: It’s Not Just a Feeling
The common lament that ”time flies” as we get older isn’t simply a subjective impression or a cliché about aging. Emerging neuroscience reveals a physiological basis for this phenomenon, rooted in how our brains process information and encode memories. The sensation of time’s passage is deeply connected to memory, attention, processing speed, and our ability to differentiate between distinct moments within an experience.
According to research, our perception of time isn’t a consistent measure, but rather a reflection of our neural activity. The brain essentially builds a timeline based on the number of “markers” or transitions between neural states it registers. when the brain processes a greater volume of novel information, it creates more of these markers, leading to a richer, more expansive sense of time. Conversely, when experiences become routine and require less cognitive effort, fewer markers are created, and time seems to compress.
One key to counteracting this perceived acceleration lies in introducing quantity of new stimuli into daily life. Steve taylor, author of Time Expansion experiences, explains that the brain slows down subjective time when it has to process more information.Each new experience demands greater cognitive effort and generates more internal “markers.” Taylor’s work suggests that activities like travelling, learning a new skill, meeting new people, or simply altering established routines can increase the density of perceived events, effectively broadening our memory of time. This isn’t a psychological trick, but a direct result of increased neural activity and the registration of more transitions between neural states.
Equally important is conscious attention. Neuroscienceindicatesthatwhenweoperateon”automaticpilot”movingbetweentaskswithoutfullyengagingwiththepresentmomentthebrainproducesfewer”distinctmoments”makingthedayfeellikeonecontinuousundifferentiatedexperienceHoweveractivelypayingattentiontodetails-aflavoralandscapeasoundthesensationofasimplegesture-increasestheamountofinformationprocessedandenhancesthefragmentationofeventsThisexplainswhyintenselyexperiencedmomentsevenbriefonesoftenfeelsignificantlylongerinretrospect
This principle also illuminates why childhood often feels longer. Every experience is novel,every object is a source of exploration,and every environment presents an abundance of stimuli. This constant influx of new information expands perceived time. As we age, familiarity increases, and the brain processes less novelty, causing time to “slip” – not because it’s actually moving faster, but because the mind fragments it less.
While introducing new activities and cultivating present attention doesn’t halt neural aging, it can alter our subjective experience of time. Individuals who consciously change their habits have reported feeling days lengthen and years become more substantial,as if their internal rhythm has been recalibrated. This isn’t about controlling time itself,but about modulating our perception of it – restoring depth to moments and combating the sensation of years blurring together. Science demonstrates that the mind has the capacity to slow down its experience of time by shifting out of automatic mode and re-engaging with the world in a more vivid and attentive way.
