Can we slow down time? The science of perception
While stopping in time is not possible, most people wish to know if at least they can slow it down or that, at least, it feels as though it has slowed down. Fortunately, our experience with time is flexible and relatively fluid, depending on mood, attention, and our situation. For instance, whereas to most people, time often tends to slow down when there is an immediate threat to their lives. This is called “time dilation.” It’s a trick of the brain: heightened awareness lets us absorb more than what would appear to be a short span of time, making it seem as if time has stretched.
Mindfulness and meditation help change our notion of time. Focusing on the present—paying attention to our thoughts, breath, or surrounding environment—we actually slow our mental tempo, which often lures the clock into misleading us with how rapidly time is going by. It doesn’t speed up the clock itself, but makes every moment longer and, indeed, richer and more meaningful.
