The Real Reason Time Feels Faster as You Age (And How to Fix It)

Cari Moisan
Mar 8
3 min read

Time Is a Lie (Sort Of)

Ever notice how summers as a kid felt like an eternity, but now you blink and it’s October again? You’re not imagining it. Your brain actually distorts time, and it’s getting worse the older you get. Here’s the kicker: time isn’t actually speeding up - perception of it is shrinking. But the good news? You can stretch time back out. Let’s break down why your brain warps time and how you can slow it down again.

How Your Brain Constructs Time (and Why It Feels So Fast Now)

Time isn’t something you passively experience, it’s something your brain actively interprets. And, well, it doesn’t always get it right.

1. Your Brain Measures Time by Novelty

When you’re a kid, everything is new. Your brain has to work overtime to process fresh experiences, so it packs tons of detail into your memory. This makes time feel longer because you’re forming more mental timestamps along the way. As an adult, you run on autopilot. You have the same commute, same office, same conversations. The brain already knows what to expect, so it stops storing those repetitive experiences in detail. Less novelty = fewer new memories = time contracts.

2. Routine Shrinks Time Perception

Think about your last workweek. Feels like a blur, right? That’s because your brain discards predictable, repetitive information. If nothing stands out, time compresses in your memory. Now think about a vacation to a new place. That same one-week span feels longer because your brain is soaking up new details, stretching your perception of time. This is called the "Oddball Effect" in neuroscience—when your brain encounters something unexpected, it devotes more attention to it, making it feel like time slows down.

3. The "Forward Flow" vs. "Backward Reflection" Effect

When looking forward, time feels slow—like when you’re stuck in a meeting watching the clock.
When looking back, time feels fast—because your brain only records standout moments and skips over the routine stuff.

This is why a boring day drags, but a boring year flies by when you reflect on it.

How to Make Time Feel Slower and Life Feel Fuller

Luckily, time perception is flexible—and you can train your brain to slow it down by adding more novelty and awareness to your daily life.

1. Break Your Routine (Even in Small Ways)

The key to slowing time is adding novelty back into your life. You don’t need to quit your job and backpack across Europe—even small shifts force your brain to pay attention, stretching time perception.

Try this:

✅ Take a different route home.

✅ Try a new hobby (even once a week).

✅ Switch up your lunch spot.

✅ Change the order of your morning routine.

The more unexpected experiences you introduce, the longer time will feel.

2. Be More Present (Your Brain Will Thank You)

When you rush through life on autopilot, time shrinks. The more you slow down and notice details, the longer an experience feels.

Try mindfulness techniques like:

✅ 5 Senses Check-In – What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel right now?

✅ Deep Breathing – Slows your mind, which slows your perception of time.

✅ Single-Tasking – Focus on one thing at a time instead of multitasking.

Mindfulness forces your brain to register more detail, stretching time perception.

3. Travel (Even If It’s Just to the Next Town Over)

Your brain treats new places like giant novelty bombs—it pays extra attention, making time feel longer. Even a weekend trip to a new city can expand your perception of time. Can’t travel? Change up your surroundings—rearrange your furniture, work from a new coffee shop, or explore an area of town you’ve never been to.