I turned around yesterday and realized that some how, it was the end of October. How could that be? In my mind, I just finished July. Time is a funny thing. It's a constant, but it seems to speed up and slow down at different times. How does that work? I stumbled across an article that gives a little insight to this question.It all relates to the way we process things in our brain, according to a study done in Munich, Germany and reported by Scientific American. Researchers interviewed 499 people from ages 14-94 about their perception of time.They found that in short durations up to a year, for all ages, time seems to go fast--especially when they were having fun. The difference seemed to come when time was examined in retrospect. Time from childhood seemed to have gone slowly, while time from later years (over 40) seemed to go much faster.
Here's how the researchers explained this phenomenon. The brain lays downs memories for novel experiences. However, it doesn't do that for familiar ones. So when you experience a lot of new things, like everything in childhood, there are a lot of memories to go with that time period. However, when you experience fewer new things, like much of adulthood, you have fewer memories. So the same time period can seem either long or short depending on how many memories you have associated with it.
I'm not sure this explains how time seemed to jump from July to October, but it does explain some other things like why I remember and quote more things from my childhood that any other time. This subject needs more examination. When I have time. :)
Do you notice time in different ways?
That's an interesting theory. I always figured it was because we experience time as a percentage of the total time we have lived. So when you're a kid, a month seems like forever because it's a relatively larger chunk of your life than it is as an adult. Either way, I can't believe it's almost November!
ReplyDeleteBTW, here's one of my favorite songs - seems relevant to this topic:
https://youtu.be/WiglS51-Owc
Your theory makes sense, too. The song is a new one to me and I really liked it. Thanks for the link.
DeleteTime is fleeting and so fast now! How can my granddaughter be turning 4 when it seems like just a couple of months ago when she was learning to walk.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think of your granddaughter as a toddler. How did it happen that she's almost four? I guess time seeming to go to fast is not a problem unless you think of it in terms of how much time you may have left in your life. That's along the lines that Cat described and I think, my anxiety talking. :)
DeleteTime seems to evaporate, except there are pockets of time which felt like it dragged on this year. So, the more new experiencing/memories you accumulate time perception seems slower. Is that what I'm reading? I certainly am not laying down a lot of new ones and my days are totally carbon copy of the day before, so at this rate my life will be over in a week. :) Speaking of time, I think the time change happens this weekend. Yikes, I can't believe it's almost November!
ReplyDeleteYep, that's how it's supposed to work. The more new things you experience, the slower time seems, but only in retrospect. While you're doing them, time seems to go fast--if you like them.
DeleteThe article did suggest doing more new things to slow time down. For me, I like routine, so doing new things takes a lot of effort. My time is just going to go as it goes.
Time is fascinating, isn't it? A friend told me when my kids were little "the hours are slow but the years are fast" (in relation to raising children). I have definitely found that to be true! In general, I find that if I am experiencing a difficult situation, time seems to drag; if life is fun (e.g. when on vacation) it flies by.
ReplyDeleteTime definitely drags during a difficult situation. That's when I have to start doing some positive self talk to get through it.
DeleteTime speeds up and slows down depending on what I am doing! If I find it interesting, then, time passes quickly; if it is something I dislike doing, then, time drags.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Time really seems to drag during a boring meeting.
DeleteFor me time sometimes seems to be fast and sometimes dreadfully slow.
ReplyDeleteI bet it seems slow when you're watching a trap on a cold night.
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