#Timeperception

In a world that exalts hustle and constant connection, a growing body of research suggests that intentionally slowing down can dramatically change how we experience life. A psychologist’s recent framing—that the path to richer, more meaningful days begins with being fully present in the moment—has sparked renewed interest in mindfulness, time perception, and everyday well-being. For Thai readers juggling work, family, and the pressures of a digitally saturated culture, the message lands with practical urgency: slowing down is not retreat from life; it is a way to reclaim focus, energy, and presence with those who matter most.

A wave of new research reveals that the key to experiencing a longer, more fulfilling life may lie not so much in medical breakthroughs or exercise regimens, but in how we psychologically perceive and savor time itself. Studies highlighted by The Atlantic in its recent piece, “The Psychological Secret to Longevity,” reveal that the way we experience time accelerates as we age—a phenomenon influenced not just by our biological clock, but by our daily routines, emotional engagement, and openness to novelty (The Atlantic).

New findings suggest living longer may depend more on how we experience time than on medical breakthroughs. The Atlantic notes that time often seems to pass faster as people age, influenced by daily routines, emotional engagement, and openness to new experiences. In essence, our relationship with time shapes how long we feel we have.

Time is measured by clocks but felt subjectively. Both philosophers and scientists agree that perception shifts with experience; each passing year can feel shorter. Research cited by The Atlantic links this to science, including a 2017 psychology study where older adults report time passing more quickly than younger people. Related insights from neuroscience and psychology reinforce this view.

For anyone who has struggled through an exhausting workout or high-stakes athletic event, the sensation that time stretches out—every minute crawling by—will be a familiar one. Now, new research published in the journal Brain and Behavior is shedding light on why our brains seem to play tricks on us during physically demanding activities. The study, led by a sports scientist from Canterbury Christ Church University in collaboration with researchers at the University of Groningen and Vrije University of Amsterdam, reveals that intense exercise distorts our sense of time, making external clocks run slow while our own bodies move at full speed (Earth.com).

Time often seems to drag during intense workouts, a phenomenon researchers explain through brain and body signals. A recent study in Brain and Behavior shows that strenuous effort distorts how we perceive time, with external clocks appearing to run slower while the body pushes to the limit.

This finding matters for Thailand’s growing fitness culture and health initiatives. Athletes, coaches, and fitness enthusiasts can use these insights to train more intelligently and monitor effort with reliability. The study sheds light on why timing can drift during endurance efforts and how that might influence training plans and competition strategies, especially for Thai runners and cyclists.

Time often seems to sprint as we age, a feeling echoed by Thai families across the country. New research summarized in the European Review sheds light on why our brains mark time differently as we grow older and offers practical steps to savor daily life, tailored for Thai readers.

The core idea is simple: time perception shifts with life stages. Children experience many firsts—new classrooms, skills, and activities—that flood the brain with distinct memories. Adults tend to follow routines, creating fewer novel moments. When daily life becomes predictable, days and months blur, and time feels faster.

For many Thais, it’s a familiar refrain heard from elders: “Each year passes faster than the last.” This shared experience, long chalked up to nostalgia or busy lives, now has new scientific backing. Recent research published in the journal European Review and summarized in an Earth.com article explains why our perception of time truly seems to speed up with age, lending insight into both the mechanics of the brain and possible ways for everyone, young or old, to reclaim a sense of fuller, richer days (Earth.com).

Scientists have uncovered a powerful illusion in how we remember the timing of repeated events, showing that the more often something is repeated, the further in the past its first occurrence feels—even when that’s not actually the case. This phenomenon, documented in a recent study published in Psychological Science, may have far-reaching repercussions for how we piece together our personal memories, judge news events, and even recall everyday experiences—significant insights for a society like Thailand’s, where repetition in news, advertising, and education is common.

A compelling new study shows that repetition can make the first appearance of an event feel older in our memory. Published in Psychological Science, the research finds that repeated exposure shifts our sense of when something first occurred, even if the event is recent. For Thai readers, the finding sheds light on how we interpret news, education, and daily life.

Researchers led by a senior assistant professor conducted six controlled experiments with hundreds of adults. Participants viewed repeated and non-repeated images and then estimated when the first appearance occurred. Across all designs, people remembered the first appearance of a repeated image as farther in the past than an equally old non-repeated image. The more times an image appeared, the stronger the impression of an earlier origin. The bias remained even when participants were warned, indicating a robust effect. Data suggest repetition can shift timing judgments by up to a quarter of the elapsed time.

A compelling new psychology study suggests that the sensation of time “flying by” is more closely tied to periods of personal growth and satisfaction, rather than mundane routines or forgettable days. Published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the research fundamentally challenges the long-held belief that monotony compresses our memory of time, instead highlighting fulfillment and nostalgia as key drivers of our perceptions of how quickly life passes—even as we age (PsyPost).

A new psychology study suggests that the feeling of time “flying by” is driven more by personal growth and satisfaction than by dull routines. Published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the research challenges the idea that monotony makes memories feel shorter. Instead, fulfillment and nostalgia appear to shorten our sense of elapsed time.

For many people, including Thais, life often feels like years, semesters, or summers pass too quickly. In Thai culture, the expression “เวลาเหมือนสายน้ำ” (time is like a river) captures this shared sentiment, echoed during festivals such as Songkran and Loy Krathong. The study sheds light on why these moments seem to hurry by and what underlies that perception.

If you often feel like your intense workouts at the gym seem to last forever, you are not alone—and science may finally have an explanation. According to a new study published in the journal Brain and Behaviour and reported by The Guardian, pushing yourself hard during exercise can cause a “time warp” effect that makes your workout feel subjectively longer than it actually is. This finding could have important implications for anyone hoping to improve their fitness—or simply survive a particularly sweaty spin class—with researchers suggesting that our perception of time may be heavily influenced by the discomfort and effort of the activity itself (The Guardian).

A new study in Brain and Behaviour reveals a neural and experiential reason why intense workouts can drag on. Researchers found that during demanding exercise, people tend to overestimate elapsed time by about 10 percent. The effect, described as a “time warp,” is linked to the heightened focus on bodily signals like pain and fatigue. This insight has implications for both personal training and how fitness programs are designed to keep people engaged.

Social moments can feel overwhelming for those with social anxiety. New research shows that time perception shifts with age: children often experience time as more eventful, while adults may feel quiet moments stretch longer. This nuance matters because it shapes how we experience conversations, nerves, and crowding in social settings. For Thai readers, time perception intersects with mindfulness traditions and the importance placed on harmonious social life.

Research indicates that our brains process social cues more quickly as we age, yet how we experience time depends on whether we are fully present or dwelling on what comes next. The tension between being in the moment and anticipating the future plays a key role in social anxiety. Thai culture’s emphasis on calm, respectful communication aligns with modern mindfulness practices that encourage listening, presence, and genuine connection in real time.