There’s one activity you can do that makes time move 9% slower
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When you’re exercising, one minute can feel like 10 – and it’s a something we’ve all experienced. Now, new research shows that people who push themselves when working out report something comparable to a time warp so they feel like they have been exercising for longer than they have (Picture: Getty)
A small study saw participants completing stationary bicycle trials while estimating 30 seconds to the best of their ability. The results revealed that participants were about 8-9% ahead of real time, suggesting time was moving more slowly to them. (Picture: Getty)
In the study, 33 participants completed a stationary bicycle course of 4,000 meters. They were asked to estimate 30-second intervals at five points which were before the course, after 500 meters, after 1,500 meters, after 2,500 meters, and then post exercise. (Picture: Getty)
They were asked to do the cycle solo, then with a fellow cyclist, and finally participate an active race where participants were told to try to beat an opponent. The cyclists were asked to rate their perceived exertion but not to hit specific speeds, except from when they tried to beat an opponent. The researchers found there was no difference between exercise conditions and time perception, meaning that the appearance of a competitor, and any extra effort put toward beating them, didn’t change the participant’s perception of time. (Picture: Getty)
The study, which appears in the journal Brain and Behavior, describes how time appeared to run slow when people were exercising but not before or after. The effect was the same across the trials, suggesting the virtual opponent had no noticeable impact. However, this time warp is not specific to cycling, but linked to the intensity of the exercise or how uncomfortable it feels. (Picture: Getty)
The researchers are not sure what drives the shift in time perception, but they believe that high intensity exercise makes the body more aware of the pain it is enduring, making the duration feel longer. The researchers compared this to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, which said time was not absolute and depended on the observer’s frame of reference. (Picture: Getty)
The researchers said: ‘More work has to be done to further unravel the role of external stimuli, exercise intensity, and duration on the perception of time during exercise. All of these factors affect timing, pacing, and the successful completion of optimal outcomes across physical activities.’ They suggest newer techniques, like lights around a track lighting up at the target pace, may help support athletes’ goals in pacing and output. (Picture: Getty)
