The Mystery of Why Time Feels Faster as We Age
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You ever get that feeling? Like where did the year go? It's like someone hit fast forward on life. That's kind of wild how that happens. Totally. It feels like just yesterday we were talking about, well, you know.

But anyway, a lot of our listeners have been asking about this whole thing with time and how it seems to speed up as we get older. Yeah. It's a question that's been around forever, right? Like even those philosophers way back when were pondering this. Right. So it's not just us. And apparently there's a ton of research on this now. We've gone across all these different fields. It's not just like some random feeling. No, not at all. It gets really interesting when you look at the science of it all, how our brains and bodies interact.

actually perceive time. OK, so let's break it down. One theory that keeps popping up is this percentage of life idea.

Like, Earth.com had this piece that said, when you're five, a year is like a huge ishi 20% of your whole life so far. Oh, wow. Huge. Right. But then you hit, say, 50 that same year. Yeah. It's like a measly 2%. No wonder it feels like it goes by faster. Makes sense. It's like that whole days are long, but years are short thing. When you're a kid, those days drag on, but the years zoom. Exactly. Yeah. But it's not just the math of it, right? It's like...

our memories have to play a part too, don't they? Like I was reading on the brighter side of news. Oh yeah, what'd they say? So they were talking about how when you're little, your brain is just soaked in new experiences constantly. Everything's a first, so your memories are super strong. Yeah, like that first time riding a bike without training wheels, you never forget that. Exactly, or like the first day of school, or you get the idea. But as we get older, it's like everything's kind of the same day to day. Routine sets in.

Right. And psychology today even called this rapid fire processing in kids' brains. Like they're literally on a different clock speed. So they're taking in way more information at the same time. So it probably feels slower to them, right? That's what they're saying. It's wild. And then there was this commenter on Ubiquity, Bethany, I think.

She was saying she wishes her life wasn't so routine now because time is flying by. Makes you think, doesn't it? If we could go back. I know, right? But, okay, before we get too deep into our existential crisis, psychology today had this other theory that really blew my mind. Okay, hit me with it. Neural. Pacemaker. Neural pacemaker. What's that? Like a heart thing but for your brain? Basically, they're saying there might be this, like,

internal metronome that sets the pace for how we experience time. Hold on. So as we age, does it like slow down or something? Is that what they're saying? That's the theory. And they even did this study where they had kids and adults judge how long a minute was. Okay. And what happened? Don't leave me hanging. The kids thought it was way shorter than it was. The adults were closer, but still. So our brains are actually ticking slower as we get older. That's crazy. It's like, pick

Picture this, right? When you're a kid, everything is new and exciting. So your brain is like, whoa, what's that? All the time. But as you get older, you've seen it all before. So your brain doesn't have to work as hard. So it's like our brains get too efficient for their own good. Kind of.

Earth.com had this article about a researcher, Adrian Bijan, and he was saying something similar. He talked about how our brains process visual information and how that slows down as we age, too. So it's not just the neural pacemaker. It's like our whole perception is slowing down. It's possible. But the thing is, even if we can't literally slow down our brains, we can't just like quit our jobs and go live in a sensory deprivation tank to make time feel longer, can we? I mean, I've been tempted.

But yeah, probably not practical for most of us. Yeah. So what can we do? That's the million dollar question, right? And earth.com actually brought up a counterpoint to this whole slowing brain thing. Cindy Lustig, she was skeptical. Yeah, I read that. She made a good point. Our brains might change, but it's not like they're suddenly twice the size or anything. Exactly. So it's got to be more than just biology. You know, it's probably a mix of our psychology, our experiences, even our mindset. So you're saying instead of trying to like

hack our brains, we should be looking at how we actually live our lives. Exactly. But Jean, the researcher we talked about earlier, he had this whole thing about mental images. He said the more vivid and meaningful our experiences, the more of these images our brains create and the slower time seems to go. Okay. So like instead of wishing for more hours in the day, we should be trying to make the hours we do have really count. Yes.

Quality over quantity. Remember those times when you're hanging out with your best friend, you're laughing, you completely lose track of time. Those are the moments that stick with you.

The Brighter Side of News actually had a bunch of suggestions for this. Oh, yeah. Like what? Give me some ideas. Well, they talked about how important it is to try new things. Get out of your comfort zone, take a cooking class, learn an instrument, travel to a new place. So it's all about shaking things up, keeping our brains guessing. Exactly. And it doesn't have to be something huge either. It could be as simple as trying a new recipe instead of ordering takeout again or dusting off that old guitar and learning a few chords. I like it. Small steps, big impact.

But there's got to be more to it, right? Like what about all those times when we're stuck in our routines, just going through the motions? How do we slow down time then? Mindfulness. The brighter side of news also highlighted how powerful mindfulness can be for our perception of time. Okay. For those of us who aren't like meditation gurus, what does that even mean?

Think about how often you're scrolling through your phone or mentally making your to-do list while you're doing something else. We're all guilty of it. But when we're constantly multitasking like that, we miss out on actually experiencing the present moment. Right, like when you're driving somewhere familiar and you get to your destination, and you're like, wait, how did I even get here? Exactly. But when we practice mindfulness, when we actually slow down and pay attention to what we're doing, how we're feeling, it's

It's like hitting the pause button on that internal plot. It's like that whole stop and smell the roses thing, but for real this time. Yes. But what if instead of just smelling the roses, we actually planted some new ones?

Creating something, whether it's a poem, a painting, or even just a delicious meal, can completely shift our experience of time. I love that. Instead of being passive observers, we become active participants in our own lives. Exactly. And that engagement, that sense of purpose, it can make all the difference. But you know what else is interesting? While Ubiquity didn't specifically talk about this, there's actually a ton of research on how our social connections influence our perception of time, too.

So you're saying like having deep conversations, really connecting with people that can actually make time feel different. It can. Think about those times you've been so engrossed in a conversation that you completely lose track of time.

Those moments, they create a different kind of memory, one that feels expansive and alive. It's true. Sometimes those late night talks with friends feel like they last for hours, even if it's just a fraction of the actual day. Exactly. Because they're filled with emotion, with laughter, with vulnerability. It's those shared experiences, those deep connections that make time feel richer. It's like our brains don't even bother keeping track of time.

When we're truly present with another person. It's about quality over quantity. Right. Meaningful connections. Those are the things that make life feel full no matter how fast time seems to be flying by. So we've talked about novelty, mindfulness, creation, meaningful connections, like a whole toolkit for tricking our brains into slowing down time.

It's not really about tricking our brains. It's more about shifting our perspective, I think. Instead of seeing time as this thing that's constantly slipping away from us, maybe we can start to appreciate it as a gift. Okay, I like that. Appreciating time instead of fearing it.

But does that mean we should just be constantly chasing new experiences? Should I plan on taking up skydiving when I'm, like, 80? Well, hey, if that's what calls to you. But no, it's not about checking things off a bucket list. It's about finding what brings you joy, what sparks your curiosity at every age and stage of life. So it should be as simple as, like, finally learning how to play that guitar I've had since college. Exactly. Or revisiting a favorite childhood book, but this time with fresh eyes.

It's amazing how something familiar can feel brand new when we approach it with a sense of wonder. It's like that idea that we talked about earlier, mindfulness.

but applied to our everyday experiences. Exactly. It's about choosing to see the world with a sense of curiosity and wonder, no matter how old we are. So instead of dreading birthdays, maybe we should be celebrating all the wisdom and experience each year brings. Absolutely. Each year is a new opportunity to learn, to grow, to connect, to create. It's up to us to make the most of it. Wow. This whole conversation has been a serious mind-bender.

but in a good way. It's like I've learned a whole new way of thinking about time and about life itself. That's what we were hoping for. It's not always easy to wrap our heads around these big questions, but it's in those moments of reflection that we often find the most meaning.

So true. Well, on that note, a huge thank you to everyone for joining us on this deep dive into why time seems to fly by. Until next time, keep exploring, keep questioning, and most importantly, keep living those moments to the fullest.