Why does time seem to speed up as we get older?

[Sarapva]

I've heard the same thing from many people, and experience it myself - that as we get older, time seems to speed up. When I was a kid time seemed to go very slowly, especially during school years! Then when I was in my 20s it started to speed up, then faster in my thirties, and now in my forties the months are going by almost like the days used to.

I remember reading once that this has to do with how much longer we have to live - that the closer we get to the end of our lives, the faster time seems to go because there's not as much left. Does anyone here experience this or have other ideas about why people seem to experience this same thing?

 

[scorpion da black]

i don't want to scare you..i don't even know if you would believe this even....but prophet Muhammed said:
" judgment day wont come unless it is felt as though the year passes like a month, a month passes as a week, a week passes like day, a day passes like an hour...and an hour passes like the burning of a dried leaf"

i believe that we feel that time passes faster than it used to because judgment day is closer

 

[Chi65]

Everybody has his/her own judgement day, when you look back and overlook the lifelines better. Its so funny, that this is not understood by most people.

And you may as well die, before you die, then you have similar experiences, for example before a satori or the like. Nothing new in the old far east.

I have this for long now, Sarapva, my inner life has become very complex, but more in order than ever, but faster (which I cannot say about my outer one, there I need more time, really!). Thus I go less out or to friends, but its alright, because I do what really counts for me/or them, and all the rest comes later.
My doctor is slowly getting nervous, because he keeps on saying, not every 5 month, 3 months for checking, hehe, while I have the feeling, that only 2 passed. So far, it was OK nevertheless, according to the circumstances. Thus no panic necessary. I simply grin and say, yes.
Somewhere I read, that short before you die, you know it all (well, not all details, but the principle, from your own inside, and wham it goes! Aha, have been there before, no reason to panic, life goes on). Well, I had such a point (or points) before already, but the daily life goes on, it just looks differently, but not bad.
I just wash my dishes and whatnot as usual etc., as considered in Zen. Thats all.

Cheers, enjoy yourself!

 

[Half-n-Half]

Maybe it has something to do with our brains. As we get older, our brains get filled up more and more by memories. When you are a child, your brain is like a sponge and absorbs lots of memories. Think of it like snapshots. Lets say as a kid your brain is relatively empty and can take 10,000 snapshots per day. Naturally, it would take a long time to go through all these pictures. However, as you age, your brain has become more and more occupied with the memories, or "snapshots", you have built up over time. Now, when you are 50, you can only take say 1,000 snapshots per day. It would take considerably less time to go through 1,000 as opposed to 10,000. Therefore, time seems to speed up.

I wonder if it has anything to do with sleep. Anybody else fall asleep and almost instantly (well, less than 8 hours time) seem to wake up as if those hours spent sleeping weren't there?

 

[Chi65]

Well said, I first was about to write this myself, but you can do it much better. Another point is, when you have to, you can be even faster than a child, but the urge is relatively smaller at times, maybe more time needed for digestion? Which would also make the time run, if there is much to digest, right.
Its like sitting quietly for hours, and yet being very busy inside. I can compare this very well with my fun in scanning my travel fotos etc. of my life, hehe. Pure digesting too.

Well, that sleep thing is also known by me, but I know, that time isn't what we think. But that excursion would go too far here, I suppose. It would also include some kind of hypers. And those also build up with age. . .

I can also instantly fall asleep and go pitch black with no dream at alll, and after a short time I am up again, all by myself, but feeling all fresh.
The brain is something very fantastic, indeed. One only has to learn to drive that car ;-)

 

[Goldiegirl]

How fast or time goes by depends on what mood I am in and what the weather is like. The warm long days of summer go by too fast the short, cold winter days go by slowly. I If I am happy, time is fast, sad or upset slow. That's what bothers my the most. I want the fun, happy times to feel longer!

 

[undrentide]

The most convincing theory I've heard is that when you're 10 years old, one year is a tenth of your whole life. But when you're 30 years old, it is only a thirtieth part of your life, and when you're 40 years old, it's only a fortieth part...
(Same applies for one month, one week, etc.)

 

[bakaKanadajin]

Time doesn't actually exist, it's a subjectively controlled level of activity in the brain. Your consciousness determines how quickly time passes for you. We as humans are similar and partake in similar experiences, especially those of us living in the same part of the world or existing within the same social circles. So there is a commonality there, facilitated by things like clocks, daily routines, the circadian rhthyms of the universe in which we live, etc.

But really, all one needs to do is refer to the cliche of 'time flies when you're having fun', and also remember all the times in school and at work when 3:29 or 4:59 lasted forever, to know that this is true.

It has to do, scientifically, neuro-chemicaly, whatever, with alpha, beta, theta, delta waves in the brain and your level of consciousness. That's the short version of my opinion anyway. But, the non-existence of time is a widely accepted fact by many and it's a good starting point for many discussions on the mind and concsiousness.

 

[Chi65]

Well said, thanks, and I thought I would go too far. . .

just wanted to say this before I dive into timeless sleep, to be fresh for more time discussions later on, yawn, good night!

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Can't begin to explain why ?

Time flies so fast to me , I lose track of it. I always wear a watch with the day and date on it, I forget what day it is. I turned 58 yesterday and my mind says, "you will be 60 VERY soon, WOW". Maybe it has something to do with knowing death is just around the bend and he seems too close for comfort?

Uncle Frank

:?

 

[Half-n-Half]

Aww Uncle Frank, don't say that! I'm sure you'll live to be a hundred!

Time doesn't actually exist, it's a subjectively controlled level of activity in the brain. Your consciousness determines how quickly time passes for you. We as humans are similar and partake in similar experiences, especially those of us living in the same part of the world or existing within the same social circles. So there is a commonality there, facilitated by things like clocks, daily routines, the circadian rhthyms of the universe in which we live, etc.
But really, all one needs to do is refer to the cliche of 'time flies when you're having fun', and also remember all the times in school and at work when 3:29 or 4:59 lasted forever, to know that this is true.
It has to do, scientifically, neuro-chemicaly, whatever, with alpha, beta, theta, delta waves in the brain and your level of consciousness. That's the short version of my opinion anyway. But, the non-existence of time is a widely accepted fact by many and it's a good starting point for many discussions on the mind and concsiousness.

I agree with you that the brain can control the rate at which we perceive time and that circadian rhythm as well as night cycles affects this. However, I'm sorry to say that I don't agree with your statement that time doesn't exist. If time was a result of just the human conscience and not a part of the universe, then there really wouldn't be any time dilation as predicted by Einstein. Since it has been proven that time dilation does indeed exist, then it seems time is an integral part of the universe.

 

[Chi65]

However, I'm sorry to say that I don't agree with your statement that time doesn't exist. If time was a result of just the human conscience and not a part of the universe, then there really wouldn't be any time dilation as predicted by Einstein. Since it has been proven that time dilation does indeed exist, then it seems time is an integral part of the universe.

I think, he just wished to say, that time does not exist the way we usually think of in a linear way. Of course it does, but very relative indeed, and cyclic. As long as some have not grasped the cyclic movements in general, which are not even new, by the way (you can read a lot about this in the I ching, I was surprised myself, but there it is already, on many places even, as basic idea), they will be puzzled.

Its not easy to understand, indeed, but anyone who had a near death experience, also talks about the facts, that the whole life is suddenly running through your brain in "no time", which means, kind of very quickly, if not simultaneously on several levels, that are connecting for this.
I had this myself several times (yes, you can get used to it and approach it fearlessly, even go for it, no dope needed at all. Some buddhist ceremonies even try this as a controlled short-cut to enlightenment, for example a Goma, also psychologically and neurologically interesting!) and still find it difficult to explain.

 

[Sarapva]

The most convincing theory I've heard is that when you're 10 years old, one year is a tenth of your whole life. But when you're 30 years old, it is only a thirtieth part of your life, and when you're 40 years old, it's only a fortieth part...
(Same applies for one month, one week, etc.)

This is the theory I've heard. I wonder if there's a way to figure out when your death is going to be based on how fast a year goes at a certain age? Just kidding!

Posted by Scorpion da black:

" judgment day wont come unless it is felt as though the year passes like a month, a month passes as a week, a week passes like day, a day passes like an hour...and an hour passes like the burning of a dried leaf"

This could be true - though maybe Judgment Day is the same as physical death?

Posted by Chi65

Somewhere I read, that short before you die, you know it all (well, not all details, but the principle, from your own inside, and wham it goes!

I've heard this too - the saying that "my life flashed before my eyes". This might also be the same as "judgment day".

I think that things like this can happen in an instant of what we think of as "time", like Half-n-Half said about sleep. I have woken up hours later, thinking it was only a few minutes later. But then other times I've woken up and can't remember what day it is, even the date or time of year! It's like I traveled somewhere else and had all kinds of adventures and then was suddenly dropped back into my body and had to remember what I was doing before I went to sleep.

I've also heard of being able to "see" your life or the meaning of all life, like you mentioned Chi, probably by some kind of meditation. Maybe this would help us when we do actually get to the end of our lives and are "judged" in some way. It probably takes practice and discipline to be able to consciously get your mind into that state where it opens to what has been called (by Carl Jung, I think) the "collective consciousness". It's like you can access this with your subconscious mind and find out information, like using the internet.

Posted by Uncle Frank:

Time flies so fast to me , I lose track of it. I always wear a watch with the day and date on it, I forget what day it is. I turned 58 yesterday and my mind says, "you will be 60 VERY soon, WOW". Maybe it has something to do with knowing death is just around the bend and he seems too close for comfort?

I need a watch like that! I have the worst trouble remembering which day it is, and they're all going by faster and faster. When I first started having memories of 20 years ago I thought it was such a long time ago, but now when I think of 20 years ago it doesn't seem that it happened very long ago. I wonder if I get to 60 or 70 if I'll look back at being 45, like I am now, and think it seems like only a few years ago! It's a little scary, and I now know the meaning of the saying "Life is short"!

 

[Chi65]

This could be true - though maybe Judgment Day is the same as physical death?

Bingo, be it a kind of (near) death-experience. it just has been exploited by some religions, to create fear and collect according money to "wash" yourself, hehe.

Posted by Chi65
I've heard this too - the saying that "my life flashed before my eyes". This might also be the same as "judgment day".
I think that things like this can happen in an instant of what we think of as "time", like Half-n-Half said about sleep. I have woken up hours later, thinking it was only a few minutes later. But then other times I've woken up and can't remember what day it is, even the date or time of year! It's like I traveled somewhere else and had all kinds of adventures and then was suddenly dropped back into my body and had to remember what I was doing before I went to sleep.
I've also heard of being able to "see" your life or the meaning of all life, like you mentioned Chi, probably by some kind of meditation. Maybe this would help us when we do actually get to the end of our lives and are "judged" in some way. It probably takes practice and discipline to be able to consciously get your mind into that state where it opens to what has been called (by Carl Jung, I think) the "collective consciousness". It's like you can access this with your subconscious mind and find out information, like using the internet.

Meditation IS the according jungian term also, and Jung was inspired by eastern terms and thoughts (the father of my child, who died, was a swiss Jungian psychologist, by the way).
Point is, we judge ourselves in the end, by realising the wheel of cause and effect in our lives. Every guess, this whaler, who understood, that he has to give a lot back, will die in peace! He made his peace with the "dead ones" and constantly honours them now, his way. Very wise and grown up indeed.
He does not move away, he faces it and thus is really true and honest. May he be blessed furtherhin.

And yes, I also often see the internet as a picture of how our subconsciousness and collective consciousnes is stored and connected.
Also, we once had hilarious times, when I learned photoshop and all its "layers", I permanently found relations (hypers, I said, typical synaesthete, hehe) to other levels of thinking and imagining, and my teacher was often rolling in laughter, and stepping into that game. We had a great time indeed!

So, a meditative and equally dream-state can be a kind of hyper for a while, but then it reaches the eye of the storm, and there it may click a Satori or/and have this typical inner calm, the emptiness, also of the feeling for time. Kind of black hole-symptoms short before possible, but there is no reason to fear. We are made to recover quickly, even daily every morning.

Even time will come back to "normal" needs on the other side, which is not much "other".

Whats much more dangerous, is the fear, that it might not. Fear in general.
No need to fear, just go with the flow, in your own time

 

[Sarapva]

Point is, we judge ourselves in the end, by realising the wheel of cause and effect in our lives. Every guess, this whaler, who understood, that he has to give a lot back, will die in peace! He made his peace with the "dead ones" and constantly honours them now, his way....

No need to fear, just go with the flow, in your own time

A very spiritual explanation, Chi - thanks! I've read (I can't remember from where) that "hell" is the same as our own judgment of ourselves when we die (though this is getting off-topic!). I think I'm more afraid of finding out when I die that there's something I haven't atoned for in life. Anyway, this would be a good discussion for another thread!