When we are young, many experiences are new. Our brains focus more on these fresh events, creating lots of detailed memories. This dense memory storage makes time feel fuller and longer in hindsight. As adults, we often repeat the same routines, so fewer new memories are formed, making time feel shorter when we look back.

Sources

Eagleman, D. (2008). Human time perception and its illusions.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology · 2008

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4 perspectives4 visualizations4 insights3 media resources13 rabbit holes

evidence

Older adults process information more slowly, which may alter their experience of time.

evidence

As we age, each year is a smaller fraction of our total life, making time feel faster.

perspective

Some cultures view time differently from the Western clock-based approach. In cultures where life...

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Why Does Time Feel Like It Speeds Up as We Get Older?

Evidence, perspectives, rabbit holes, and more

New and unusual experiences make time feel like it lasts longer.

Sources