Why does time seem to go by more quickly as we get older?
I was so intrigued recently when one of the main characters in a mini-series (“Beef” Episode 7), said…
I read that time speeds up as you get older, because when you’re a year old, that year is 100% perception of time but as you get older, that year is a smaller fraction of the time you’ve experienced.
I used to hear that all the time with my ageing parents and older clients, and now in my 60’s I say it every year myself! So what is the basis of this speeding-up phenomenon? And what does this really mean?
Googling I found out…In 1890, the American psychologist William James observed that “the same space of time seems shorter as we grow older,” and recent research efforts have confirmed that most people experience this speeding-up phenomenon. Why does this happen? Experts believe it’s tied to the creation of new memories. The older you get, the same amount of time is a smaller and smaller % of your total experience and memories. When you are 5 years old, your next year is 20% of your life. When you’re 10, a year is 10% of your whole life so far. When you’re 30, it’s a mere 3% of your life, you’ve lived 29 already
Every year is a smaller chunk of your life than it used to be. As you get older your perception of time changes because it is measured relative to how long you’re been alive.
Makes sense to me! Phew, and I thought I was just getting old!
