It has long been known that time is a relative concept for us – its perception depends on a person’s age and surrounding circumstances. For example, if we wait for transport for 15 minutes, then the time lasts a very long time, but if we are keen on watching a TV series or, for example, a computer game, then even an hour can fly by. Scientists to this day do not know exactly what our perception of time depends on and how our internal chronograph generally works. Previously, we said that certain neurons in the brain are responsible for keeping time, but most likely there are other mechanisms. For example, heart rate plays a role in this. But, be that as it may, in a recent study, scientists have found out where on earth time always slows down, and it is quite possible that you visit this place regularly.
Scientists have told where time always slows down
Where time always flows slower
A ten-minute workout in the gym, for example on an exercise bike, seems like a feasible task for everyone. However, once you start practicing, you will immediately notice that the time takes a long time. In a recent study, psychologists from the UK and the Netherlands found evidence that time actually slows down significantly during exercise. Moreover, it does not matter how intense the training is, that is, it is given to a person with great difficulty or he performs the exercises with ease. Therefore, time always moves slower in the gym.
For their experiment, the authors recruited more than 30 men and women who lead an active lifestyle and play sports. People were asked without a watch, that is, using only their internal chronograph, to time 30 seconds and report when the time was up. At rest, people reported the time elapsed a little later, meaning more than 30 seconds had actually passed.
It must be said that the results of this study are consistent with some other work by scientists who have also shown that during physical exercise, the perception of time slows down. However, unlike previous work, as mentioned above, scientists did not find a relationship between exercise intensity and time perception.
Time is replaced when doing exercises, regardless of their intensity
Why does time slow down when playing sports?
In the article about people who are always late, we said that the perception of time is influenced by a variety of external and internal factors. The latter include emotions, body temperature, a person’s well-being, and even heart rate, which also affects the perception of time. Moreover, even the situation matters, for example, time passes faster in the city than in nature.
Previously, it was assumed that time slowdown during exercise is due to the fact that physical arousal makes a person feel better about his body. In addition, at this moment people experience discomfort or even pain. It has long been known that the sensation of pain slows down the passage of time. However, the results of the current study suggest that the reason may be different, because the results did not change even when the volunteers performed the exercise in a comfortable mode.
Scientists cannot yet say exactly why the perception of time changes in different situations
Perhaps the exercises themselves greatly distort the perception of time, and not their intensity and the degree of discomfort that a person experiences. However, larger studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions. It's possible that time passes faster for experienced cyclists, as some studies have shown that novice cyclists tend not to focus on riding the same way as experienced athletes. In addition, the result theoretically could have been different if the participants in the experiment had competed not with an avatar, but with other people.Don't forget to subscribe to our Zen and Telegram channels so you don't miss the most interesting and incredible scientific discoveries!
Finally, let us remind you that there are places on earth where time flows faster – these are caves. Earlier we talked about how a woman who spent a year and a half in a cave lost her sense of time. The reason may be that in the cave a person does not see the sunrise and sunset. You can read more about this at the link.