If you’ve ever thought a workout felt like it lasted forever, science agrees. According to a recent study, time really does seem to slow down when you’re deep in physical exertion, especially during a tough session on the stationary bike.
Researchers asked 33 participants to cycle a 4,000-meter course. At various points, the participants had to estimate when 30 seconds had passed. Each cyclist made these estimates before starting, at three points during the ride, and after finishing.
They also had to complete the trial under three different conditions: solo, with a passive “ghost” opponent, and during a competitive race. Across all conditions, participants consistently underestimated how long 30 seconds actually was.
On average, they were about 8-9% too fast, meaning time felt like it was dragging. Even more surprisingly, this effect didn’t change whether they were riding solo or racing against someone. The perception of time slowing wasn’t linked to how hard they were working or how competitive the environment was.
This raises intriguing questions about how our bodies and minds process time under physical stress. When you exert yourself, your body undergoes all kinds of changes, including elevated heart rate, shifting focus, and rising fatigue. These might all influence how we perceive the passage of time.
For athletes, that warped perception can make pacing difficult. Top performers often use visualization to lock in exact timing for every movement, down to a flip turn in the pool or a burst of speed on the track. But staying on track becomes harder if your brain starts stretching or compressing time mid-race.
Of course, time doesn’t actually slow down. It just seems like it does. Still, this raises some interesting questions about how the brain reacts to intense pressure. As scientists dig deeper into understanding our brains and how they respond to outside interactions, we may finally decipher more about how our brains learn and continue to change.
