Scientists have found that our perception of time slows down significantly when we exercise. This revolutionary discovery indicates that during physical exertion we enter into a noticeable state of slowness.
“I have long been interested in how people perceive the passage of time and whether certain events influence this. In the case of exercise, time seems to drag on under certain conditions, but at other times it seems to move very quickly.”Andrew Mark Edwards, professor of psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University and author of a new study published in the journal Brain and Behavior, told PsyPost.
Edwards and colleagues used 33 participants to measure the amount of time they spent during cycling tests. Participants were asked to rate their perception of time before, during, and after exercise. The trials included solo trials and those in which you competed with an active human or a passive machine avatar.
The results showed that participants' perception of time slowed down during physical activityRegardless of the time they were asked to estimate the amount of time that had passed during the experiments. The researchers also found that the passive or active nature of the competitor next to them did not affect their perception of time, only the exercise itself.
Interestingly, it didn't matter how hard participants biked either. The slowing of their perception of time was consistent across different levels of intensity.
The researcher suggested that the results could be used to make exercise programs more attractive and effective, especially for professional athletes.
We need to look at how people are motivated to exercise and how we can avoid negative associations with time that seems slow.
Edwards told PsyPost.
(Futurism)
