The nature of time has intrigued humanity for centuries, particularly the fact that time speeds up with age or familiarity. The phenomenon results from how the human brain interprets time, in accordance with emotional state, memory, and sensory inputs. Exhilarating activities tend to slow down time, while routine activities have the effect of accelerating time.
Psychological theories elaborate that as we accumulate experiences and memories, they are milestones on our timeline, making varied experiences seem bigger in comparison to duplicative ones (Matthews & Meck). In addition, contemporary anxieties fueled by technology and multi-tasking are also causes of why time becomes distorted. For further reading on the above elements affecting our subjectivity of time, see (West & Fraisse, 2025) and (Matthews & Meck, 2014).
Impact of modern living on the experience of time
The breakneck speed of modern living has a profound impact on the way we experience time, tending to make individuals feel as though time is racing past them at light speed. Such seeming acceleration can be in great part explained by the inundation of information and stimuli we are subjected to on a daily level, from incessant electronic pings to high-speed working environments. As remarked by (Robinson et al., 2025), sociological changes—like the advent of artificial intelligence and global crises like pandemics—have sharpened our perception of changes over time, casting a withering light on the discrepancies between our past and present experiences.
In addition to that, technological advancements are at the centre of how we perceive and manage our time. The continuous connectivity provided by mobile phones and social networks has the potential to blur the lines between professional and private life, breeding a continuous demand for speed that reconfigures our experience of time. Urban design also feeds this perception; areas with little visual variety can stretch our sense of span, but more challenging settings have the effect of compressing it (Time perception, 2025).
Together, this complicated relationship between modern lifestyle variables—anything from our engagement with technology to the manner in which we build our surroundings—not only creates the way we perceive time but also the manner in which we navigate life itself.
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Psychological Accounts of Time Perception
1. The role of memory in our sense of time
Memory plays a powerful role in shaping our sense of time, our experience of duration and the sequence of events. Our subjective experience of time is inextricably linked with memories; memorable memories are subjectively longer than dull minutes (Summers, 2024). Engaging activities create the impression of time having flown by since the information is being processed at a higher level, while boredom will stretch moments into the infinite (Kondo et al., 2024).
Emotions also complicate this relationship. Positive emotions make memories richer so that good times seem brief (Fontes et al., 2016), whereas negative ones can protract time during bad times. Memory not only helps us remember events, but it also influences our experiences of time. Cognitive psychology illustrates that the manner in which we organise memories controls the way we experience time. Intense experiences make brief durations feel longer, as Kant claimed, who argued that our understanding of time is controlled by memory and not objective observation. Decline in memory consolidation due to ageing creates a faster experience of time.
2. Emotional states and their influence on time perception
Emotional states have a significant impact on our experience of time. Periods of pleasure or excitement flash by, while those filled with stress or boredom drag on endlessly. This phenomenological perception of time is affected by our emotional states and attentional focus states, demonstrating the manner in which our emotions can distort our experience of time (Kondo et al., 2024). For individuals with anxiety or depression, they would usually say that time creeps by. The research has shown that higher emotional arousal—such as during exciting events—will result in the impression that time is passing more quickly (Five Common Factors Influencing Our Feelings of Time | Psychology, 2017). However, for ordinary tasks or when waiting for something unknown, people feel an unusual slowing down of time (Di Lernia et al., 2018).
The linking of emotion and time perception is further evidenced through research demonstrating how stronger emotions have been proven to alter the internal processes that form the foundation of our temporal sense of length. These processes may be using different neural mechanisms that react in ways specific to emotional stimuli (Fontes et al., 2016). Therefore, it is evident that our emotional state not only enriches our experiences but also reshapes the very concept of experiencing time as passing.
Read More: The 6 Basic Emotions and How They Shape Our Everyday Life
Neuroscientific Knowledge Regarding Time Perception
1. Brain mechanisms of time estimation
Estimation of time is regulated by advanced brain processes reflecting cognitive ability and expertise, rather than an internal clock alone. The Scalar Expectancy Theory (SET) has put forward a pacemaker-accumulator model in which pulses are counted to quantify time intervals; higher pulse rates could lead to overestimation of time (Di Lernia et al., 2018). The point of focus here is critical, as the Attentional Gate Model suggests that our attention affects how many pulses are captured and therefore alters time perception (Di Lernia et al., 2018).
Recent studies indicate that our experience of time is shaped by the number of experiences within a timeframe. Varying activities make time seem to go faster, while few stimuli make time go slowly. Arousal and affect also shape perceived duration; increased arousal tends to increase the perception of duration (Di Lernia et al., 2018). Multiple neural processes and extrinsic factors, hence, interact dynamically to shape our estimation of time. See also (Summers, 2024).
Read More: Why time feels like it’s moving faster as you age
2. How age affects neural pathways related to time perception
As individuals age, their perception of time appears to accelerate due to neurobiological changes in the ageing brain, particularly affecting neural circuits that process time. Reduced dopaminergic activity plays a crucial role in how we perceive time intervals (Time perception, 2025). On the other hand, young children experience time differently since their ever-evolving brains create new connections and absorb experience, leading to seconds feeling like minutes. Experiences during childhood significantly contribute to the way time is perceived; high novelty generates vivid memories and a protracted sense of time.
Adults are likely to fall into habits of routine, which leads to neural adaptation, making them effective but less emotionally invested (Time perception, 2025). This implies that they form less new memory by doing things on autopilot, thereby giving their sense of time a more narrow feel. Furthermore, an older person perceives a year to be a smaller fraction of his or her life compared to a child (Time perception, 2025), indicating the manner in which circuits of memory evolve and influence our understanding of time.
Developmental Factors Affecting Time Perception
1. Time perception changes over the lifespan
As individuals move along in life, their sense of time completely shifts. Young children experience time as leisurely due to the novelty of the experience, and this provides a full supply of memories to extend their feeling of duration. (Time perception, 2025) says children are busy absorbing new information, enhancing their perception of time.
On the other hand, the older people get, the faster time seems to go because there are fewer new things and repetition of routines. As quoted in (Spector, 2018), adults repeat similar activities, and certain stimuli fade out from awareness. This absence of new memories makes time feel longer. Research indicates that the compression of the perceived time accelerates around mid-age when expectations are altered. (Kedar, 2023) examines how the processes of cognition, like attention and memory, develop over time, with a mention of the interdependence between maturation and experiential knowledge in understanding temporal flow across life stages.
2. Child experiences and their enduring impact on experiencing time
Child experiences have a huge impact on how individuals perceive time as they go through life. As a child, kids possess an inchoate sense of time to distinguish change and patterns in their surroundings, and the neurological frameworks to track time begin to develop as early as three months old. Such a rudimentary ability allows them to note aspects such as duration, frequency, and rhythm within various events. As reported by Kedar (2023), the extent of children’s immersion in newness is paramount; they process time at a slower pace compared to adults, mainly because their realities are replete with new stimuli.
Moreover, children’s cognition, such as attention and memory, is always changing, determining the subjective time intervals’ perception (Spector, 2018). Studies have established that younger children might even perceive durations as longer since they possess fewer prior experiences with similar conditions. Thus, the perception that childhood summers seem to last forever is not only due to the absence of memory made but also due to the absence of routines inherent in adult life. As people get accustomed to repetition and settled routine, they risk losing that rich texture of children’s perception, and with it, develop a time-dilated perception in which time appears to speed up.
Cultural Influences on Time Perception
1. How different cultures perceive and value time differently
There are varying perceptions of time in different cultures, and these have a significant impact on social conduct. In Western societies, especially the U.S. and some parts of Europe, time is a linear resource that needs to be quantified and optimised. Being punctual is of utmost priority, as illustrated by the phrase “time is money,” with activities strictly timetabled according to the clock (Levine, 2024).
However, the majority of Middle Eastern and Latin American societies have a more relaxed attitude toward time, whereby schedules are typically determined by social engagements rather than rigid timetables, placing greater importance on relationships than adherence to rigid schedules (Mraovic, 2025). Asian societies such as Japan and Thailand perceive time to be cyclical in nature, such that experience informs future choice (Lewis, 2020). The focus here is on long-term planning and patience over immediate outcomes. These varied perceptions across cultures serve to illustrate how societal norms strongly influence our collective understanding of time.
Read More: How Does the Socio-cultural Environment Affect Human Growth?
2. The impact of technology on cultural attitudes to time
Technology has significantly changed the way cultures use and deal with time. In the majority of Western nations, where time is treated as money, technological advancement has accelerated daily life so that every day becomes more efficient and productive. As acknowledged in (Levine, 2024), clock-time societies live under strict time orders, often sacrificing social interaction to ensure that each minute is utilised.
Conversely, event-time cultures place significance on event time, with a less stressful handling of scheduling, relishing the disruption and advantages of technology. For instance, according to (Mraovic, 2025), the historic social rhythms of Latin American and Middle Eastern societies are liable to be disrupted by technology’s demands. Additionally, the immediacy of digital communication conflicts with event-time cultures’ relaxed standards. Lastly, technology alters private experiences and overall cultural attitudes towards social life and daily routines, reshaping our understanding of time transversally.
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Examples From Real Life: Revealing Perception of Time
1. Everyday life case studies (e.g., work, family, leisure)
In the workplace today, employees tend to complain about time going quickly, particularly when experiencing tremendous pressure or a high load. For instance, a graphic designer with multiple projects to do may feel hours pass by while heavily concentrating on the work at hand. This takes place because of the time perception psychological theory, in which attention and memory are the determining aspects. Based on Glicksohn et al., when individuals are most absorbed in a task, subjective time can become significantly detached from actual clock time (Glicksohn et al., 2017).
At home, weekends can seem to go by while parents are doing their children’s chores and managing their schedules. The complex and dynamic nature of these experiences makes time appear to move faster. Conversely, time spent idly or lounging playing freely can stretch one’s subjective experience of time; these experiences create a strong sense of the present moment.
In addition, recreational activity also reflects multiple conceptions of time. Engaging in a new experience or adventure could create favourable events that are subjectively experienced as longer when recalled later, especially as compared to the monotony of doing chores (Matthews & Meck, 2014). Such events exhibit how personal engagement and affective states can pervert our temporal estimation in daily life.
2. Metaphors used to describe the feeling of speeding up
Perceptions of time create metaphors reflecting our experience with its passing, particularly with a feeling of acceleration. A common metaphor suggests an identity of time with a river; with joy, it rushes past us like a swift stream, and during boredom, it stands still like placid waters. It recalls the Holiday Paradox, where enjoyable experiences do not let us down with memories that seem to make time stretch (Spector, 2018).
The second compares time to a reel of movie zooming through a projector. Life is lively with things; during dull moments, memories feel fast-forwarded. In line with studies that unusual experiences elongate our perception of time (Glicksohn et al., 2017). Time is also compared to clock hands rushing quickly in excitement and crawling in terror (Five Common Factors Influencing Our Feelings of Time | Psychology, 2017). These metaphors illustrate the way that our own experiences dictate our understanding and emotional reactions to the passage of time.
Coping Strategies with the Subjective Experience of Time Acceleration in Modern Life
1. Mindfulness exercises for enhancing present-moment awareness
Mindfulness practice increases the experience of the present moment and diminishes the pressure of time passing too quickly. It is obtained by focusing on current experience, resulting in awareness of one’s thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness meditation is particularly helpful, as it increases present-based anchoring of attention, consistent with comments in section 4.2 on childhood experience and perception of time.
Including mind walking encourages individuals to engage with the world around them and augment sensory awareness, corroborating evidence from (Kondo et al., 2024) on attention effects on the experience of time. Mindful eating further enhances the experience of eating through focus on taste and texture, extending subjectively measured meal duration and contentment. This aligns with section 7.2’s discussion of prolonging perceived time.
Journaling is improving reflection on a day-to-day occurrence, an increase in self-awareness of time relative to emotional states, as prescribed under section 2.2. These exercises promote a greater sense of presence and slow down the subjective experience of time.
Read More: 5 Hacks to Increase Self-Awareness
2. Methods for slowing down subjective time (e.g., new experiences)
The newness of things has the potential to stretch out the sense of time. New activities engage our brains in a more intense effort to make sense of things, which makes memories richer (Spector, 2018). Schedule to do routine activities that test your boundaries, for instance, learning a new activity or travelling to new places.
Mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation raise alertness to the present, allowing one to enjoy experiences and not merely rush through life (Summers, 2024). Shaking up your daily routine—e.g., revising your commute or dining at various restaurants—can also lead to new experience that broadens one’s perception of time.
Adding purposeful thinking breaks throughout the day can create this feeling of time expanding. Waiting for some quiet time between tasks strengthens memory and creates a more complete sense of time (Summers, 2024). Finally, keeping a journal can instil your connection with time so that every day means something.
Reflective Takeaways on Understanding Time Acceleration
1. Closing thoughts on living purposefully in a hectic world
In a life that always appears to need more of us, having a sense of purpose is the key to our wellness. The whirlwind pace of modern life makes us feel like time is slipping through our fingers, creating anxiety and keeping us from experiencing things wholeheartedly. This tends to cause individuals to overlook the current moment in focusing on future aims or past regrets. A possible solution is found in findings brought forth by socioemotional selectivity theory, which states that the more we recognise time to be limited, the more we are disposed to the enjoyment of significant experiences and relationships.
By embracing this mentality, individuals can master how they spend their time, putting it into whatever matters most to them. Mindfulness exercises are effective ways of developing a sense of the present, to appreciate the occurrences of the day and deepen our relationship with others. With this understanding, we can start to redefine our experience of time from one of relentless stress to one full of depth and significance.
FAQs
1. Why do weekends and vacations feel like they go by faster than workdays?
Novel and enjoyable experiences are not fully processed in the moment, making them feel shorter. In contrast, repetitive workdays engage less emotional and sensory input, making them feel longer as they unfold.
2. Can we scientifically measure the subjective feeling of time speeding up?
Subjective time can’t be measured like clock time, but researchers use estimation tasks, memory studies, and brain scans to understand how people perceive duration and how those perceptions change in various situations.
3. Does time feel faster in digital environments compared to physical ones?
Yes, digital settings often present rapid, continuous stimuli that keep attention highly focused, compressing time perception. Physical environments tend to engage more senses, which can slow the subjective experience of time.
4. How does sleep deprivation affect time perception?
Sleep loss impairs memory and attention, leading to inconsistent or distorted time perception. Time may feel either slowed or fragmented, and people tend to misjudge how long tasks or events actually last.
5. Are there gender differences in how time is perceived?
There are minor differences, often shaped by emotional processing, social conditioning, or task context. Research suggests that personality and attention levels are more predictive than gender in shaping time perception.
References +
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Hirohito M. Kondo, Elena Gheorghiu, Ana P. Pinheiro. (2024). Malleability and fluidity of time perception. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62189-7
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