The Shocking Reason Why Time Feels Like It’s Moving Faster

Have you ever sat down and checked the calendar, thinking,

"Where did the time go?"

When we were children, summers stretched out forever. One school year took forever. But as grownups, time just whizzes by in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, you're thinking about how it's already February when it felt like New Year's was just last week.

So, what's happening? Why does time seem to be accelerating? Is it all in our minds, or is something more profound at work?

Let's delve into the astonishing science, psychology, and underlying factors for why time appears to be slipping away from us more quickly than ever before.

1. The "Time Ratio" Effect—Why Each Year Feels Shorter

One of the largest explanations for why time seems to speed up is because of the way we experience it in relation to our age.

This theory, commonly referred to as the proportional theory of time perception, describes that

When you're 5 years old, one year is 20% of your life.

When you're 50 years old, one year is only 2% of your life.

This is to say that as we get older, every year seems shorter in relation to the amount of time we've already lived.

Why It Feels So Drastic

Consider how long summer vacation seemed when you were a child—it was a gigantic chunk of your life experience. But now? A whole year passes like a few weeks.

???? Your brain estimates time based on how much of your life it accounts for. The more years you live, the shorter each year appears.

???? Solution: Divide life into new experiences (more on this below).

2. The Brain's "Autopilot Mode" is Stiffing Your Time

Do you ever get the feeling a week vanished without anything to remember? That's because your brain is on autopilot.

The brain squishes time when experiences are:

Repetitive (same thing every day)

Unmemorable (nothing out of the ordinary happens)

Passive (TV watching, scrolling socials)

When you were a kid, everything was new—your first bike ride, your first day of school, your first travel. Your brain expanded on those experiences, and time seemed to pass more slowly.

But we adults get trapped in the same old routines:

➡️ Wake up ☕

➡️ Go to work. ????

➡️ Watch Netflix ????

➡️ Sleep ????

???? Solution: Do something NEW. Novelty rewires your brain to slow down time.

3. The Dopamine Connection—Why Routine Speeds Up Time

Dopamine—the brain's "feel-good" chemical—regulates more than happiness. It also governs time perception.

???? High dopamine = time slows down (excitement, new experiences).

⏳ Low dopamine = time speeds up (boredom, routine).

As children, everything was thrilling—birthdays, making new friends, learning to ride a bike. But as adults, we don't get to experience newness. Our dopamine levels decrease, and before we know it, days pass by like minutes.

Slow Down Time with Dopamine

Explore new places ✈️ (even a new coffee shop counts!)

Learn a new skill. ???? (your brain LOVES new experiences.)

Experiment with new foods & hobbies. ????

Switch your daily routine (take a different route to the office)

???? The more novel experiences, the more TIME FEELS.

4. Technology Is Distorting Our Perception of Time

Social media and infinite scrolling have radically altered our sense of time.

Ever gotten sucked into a TikTok or YouTube rabbit hole, only to discover an hour went by in what felt like five minutes?

Why This Happens:

The brain gets detached from time when it's constantly stimulated.

Short-form content (such as TikTok and Instagram Reels) provides immediate dopamine bursts but squishes memory consolidation.

The quicker we consume, the more fleeting time becomes.

???? Solution: Use social media mindfully—set timers, take breaks, and consume longer-form content (such as books or in-depth discussions).

5. Stress & Busyness Cause Time to Disappear

Have you ever heard anyone say, "The days are long, but the years are short"?

That’s because stress and busyness make us rush through life, leaving little time for reflection. When you’re constantly:

✅ Meeting deadlines

✅ Handling responsibilities

✅ Juggling work & family

Your brain fast-forwards through the details. You’re too busy thinking about the next thing to truly experience the present.

???? Solution: Slow down. Practice mindfulness, take breaks, and enjoy the moment.

6. Sleep & Memory Gaps—Why Poor Rest Makes Time Disappear

Your brain consolidates memories during sleep. Without quality sleep, your brain doesn't store daily experiences, and time becomes a blur.

Ever had a sleep deprivation episode where days just seemed to merge into one another? That's because your brain wasn't storing them effectively.

How to Fix It:

Sleep 7-9 hours of deep sleep.

Don't use screens before bed (blue light interferes with melatonin).

Keep a dream or memory journal to enhance recall.

???? Improved sleep = improved memory = longer-perceived time.

7. The "Mindful Time Expansion" Hack (How to Slow Time Down Today)

???? Need a scientifically supported method to slow down time and make it more significant? Try this easy hack:

The "Mindful Time Expansion" Hack

1️⃣ Stop each hour and breathe deeply.

2️⃣ Observe 3 things in your environment (sounds, scents, sensations).

3️⃣ Think about what you accomplished that day before sleep.

???? Why it works: This assists your brain in registering moments rather than allowing them to blend together.

???? The more you NOTICE time, the slower it will feel.

Final Thoughts: Can You Make Time Feel Slower?

✅ YES! Although we can't halt time, we can alter how we experience it.

✔ Break routines with new experiences.

✔ Minimize autopilot mode by being mindful.

✔ Cut back on distractions (such as social media).

✔ Sleep better to enhance memory retention.

✔ Pursue novelty and excitement to keep your brain active.

Time isn't speeding up. Your brain is simply perceiving it differently.

Making small, conscious adjustments will slow time down and allow you to live a richer, fuller life.

Would you experiment with any of these tricks? Let me know in the comments! ????

Thanks for reading my blog.