Speed and its Effects on our perception of time

Speed—and especially how fast we move or process experiences—can profoundly affect our **perception of time**. This phenomenon is not just psychological, but also neurological and sometimes even physiological. Here’s a breakdown of how speed influences how we perceive time:

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### 1. **Speed of Movement and Time Perception**

* **Slow Movement (e.g., walking vs. running):**

When you move slowly, you're able to process more details in your environment. This can make **time feel longer**. For example, leisurely walks can feel drawn out, especially if you're fully present.

* **Fast Movement (e.g., driving fast):**

High speeds often mean you're focusing on fewer stimuli—your attention narrows, and you process less information. This can make time feel like it’s **passing faster**, because you're "skipping over" details.

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### 2. **Speed of Experiences: Novelty vs. Routine**

* **Novel, fast-paced experiences** (like traveling to a new place) can seem short while you're experiencing them, but feel **long in hindsight** because your brain stores many new memories.

* **Routine, repetitive, or fast-paced workdays** might feel like they drag in the moment, but when you look back, they blur together—**time seems to have flown by**.

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### 3. **Adrenaline and Time Dilation**

In high-stress or emergency situations (like car crashes), people often report that **time slows down**. This is linked to:

* A surge of **adrenaline**

* Heightened awareness and faster brain processing

This doesn’t mean your brain is acting like a high-speed camera, but rather that you’re encoding more detail, giving the **illusion** of slowed time.

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### 4. **Age and Perceived Speed of Time**

As we age, time seems to speed up. This might be because:

* Each year is a **smaller percentage** of our life.

* We have fewer **"firsts" or novel experiences**, which compresses our sense of time.

When you're young and everything is new, your brain creates more memory markers, making a year feel longer.

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### 5. **Technology and Speed of Information**

In the digital age, we consume information faster than ever. Constant scrolling, short videos, and rapid news cycles:

* Shrink our **attention spans**

* Make real-world activities feel slower or boring

* Contribute to a sense that time is **rushing by**

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### In Summary

| Situation | Perceived Time Effect |

| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |

| Fast movement or activity | Time feels shorter |

| Slow movement or mindfulness | Time feels longer |

| Novel experiences | Longer in memory, shorter in moment |

| Routine and repetition | Shorter in memory, longer in moment |

| High adrenaline or fear | Time appears to slow down |

| Aging | Time seems to speed up |

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Would you like to explore how to **slow down your perception of time**, or are you more interested in the **physics side** (like Einstein’s relativity and speed near light)?