Why Life Seems to Speed Up as We Age

Summary

This script explores why time seems to speed up as we age. It suggests that a year feels shorter as it represents a smaller fraction of our lives. Experiments show older people often overestimate time intervals, possibly due to a slowing internal clock. The script also discusses how focus, novelty, and repetition affect our perception of time, with novel experiences requiring more brain energy and making time feel slower. To 'slow down' time, one could introduce more novelty or fear, but this doesn't guarantee a pleasant experience. The paradox of time perception is that while we want it to slow down, a life filled with pleasant, fast-paced moments might be the most memorable.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ Time seems to go faster as we age, a perception shared by many.
• ⏳ The argument that each year feels faster because it's a smaller fraction of our lives is questioned.
• 🧠 The decrease in neuron firing rate or neuron conduction velocity with age might make external time seem to speed up.
• 👵 Older people tend to overestimate time intervals, while younger people are more accurate in time perception.
• 🧠 Our sense of time, or chronoception, is not a standard sense and is not localized in one part of the brain.
• 🐀 Studies on rats show that the ability to perceive time is a fundamental function of the brain, evolved early.
• 🎥 Engrossing activities like watching a good movie or being in 'flow' can make time seem to pass more quickly.
• 🐕 Novel experiences require more brain energy, making them seem longer, which could explain why time feels slower in childhood.
• 😱 Fear and danger can increase our perception of time, making experiences seem longer.
• 🥱 Boredom makes us more aware of time passing, making it feel like it drags on.
• 🧐 The paradox of time perception: we want time to slow down, but the experiences that do so are not always pleasant.

Q & A

Why does time seem to go faster as we age?

Time seems to go faster as we age because each year represents a smaller fraction of our total life experience. Additionally, our neuron firing rates decrease, which can make external time seem to speed up.

What is the significance of the graph showing one year as a percentage of your life at each age?

The graph illustrates that at younger ages, each year is a larger percentage of your life, making it feel longer. As you age, each year becomes a smaller percentage, contributing to the feeling that time is passing more quickly.

How does the experiment with estimating a minute at Venice Beach relate to the perception of time?

The experiment shows that older people tend to overestimate the passage of a minute, while younger people estimate it more accurately, suggesting that the perception of time can change with age.

What role does the neuron conduction velocity play in our sense of time?

The neuron conduction velocity, or the rate at which our neurons fire, is likened to an internal clock. As we age and this rate decreases, external time can seem to speed up.

How does the mental state 'flow' affect our perception of time?

When we are fully engaged in an activity, such as playing sports or being deeply focused on work, we enter a state of 'flow' where time seems to pass more quickly because we are not consciously aware of its passage.

What makes novel experiences feel like they take longer?

Novel experiences require more energy for the brain to process, which correlates with a longer perceived duration. This is why new or unexpected events can seem to last longer.

How does repetition affect the perception of time?

Repetition can make time seem to pass more quickly because familiar experiences require less brain energy to process. This is why routine activities or repeated images can seem to occur in less time.

What is the relationship between energy usage in the brain and our sense of time?

There is a high correlation between the energy used in the brain and our subjective sense of time's duration. More energy usage, as in novel experiences, leads to a longer perceived duration.

How can fear or extreme activities influence our perception of time?

Fear or participation in extreme activities can increase our perception of time because these situations demand heightened awareness and focus, making the experience seem to last longer.

Why do holidays seem to pass quickly but are remembered as lasting a long time?

Holidays seem to pass quickly because we are often engaged in enjoyable, novel activities that put us in a state of 'flow'. However, they are remembered as lasting a long time due to the high number of memories formed during these experiences.

What is the paradox of our perception of time?

The paradox of our perception of time is that while we may experience time as passing quickly in the moment, especially during novel or engaging activities, when we look back on those times, they seem to have lasted longer due to the rich memories created.