How does aging affect your sense of time

As we grow older, our perception of time changes in profound ways. This isn’t just a subjective feeling; research supports that our brains process time differently at various stages of life. When we’re young, time seems to stretch out endlessly. Remember those long summer vacations that felt like they lasted forever? This is because our brains are constantly processing new information, making each moment feel longer.

As we age, our routines become more established, and our brains process less new information. This means that time starts to feel like it’s speeding up. Years seem to fly by faster than they did when we were younger. This phenomenon is partly due to the psychological aspect of time perception. As we get older, fewer events stand out as novel, so our minds don’t create as many “time markers” that help us feel like time is passing more slowly.

Aging also affects how we experience time in other ways. For instance, older adults might find it harder to keep track of time due to decreased cognitive abilities. However, this isn’t unique to aging; conditions like dementia can significantly impact time perception. People with dementia often struggle to understand the passage of time, which can lead to confusion about what day it is or how much time has passed since a particular event.

Despite these changes, there are ways to make time feel richer and fuller, regardless of age. Seeking out new experiences, like trying different foods or visiting new places, can help create more mental “time markers” that make time feel more expansive. By understanding how aging affects our sense of time, we can be more intentional about how we live our lives and make the most of the time we have.