Scientists discover the surprising way our brains track time

LAS VEGAS — Have you ever noticed how time seems to crawl when you’re bored but flies by when you’re having fun? It turns out there’s scientific evidence behind this common experience. Researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) suggest that our brains don’t actually keep track of time like a clock. Instead, they measure time based on our experiences and activities.

Most people probably imagine that our brains have some kind of internal clock, ticking away the minutes and hours in sync with our watches and smartphones. However, this new research, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, paints a very different picture.

“We tell time in our own experience by things we do, things that happen to us. When we’re still and we’re bored, time goes very slowly because we’re not doing anything or nothing is happening. On the contrary, when a lot of events happen, each one of those activities is advancing our brains forward,” explains study senior author James Hyman, an associate professor of psychology at UNLV, in a media release.

In other words, our brains aren’t counting minutes – they’re counting experiences.

Methodology: The Science Behind the Discovery

To figure this out, the researchers looked at a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). This brain region plays a critical role in monitoring our activities and keeping track of our experiences.

The team studied the ACC in rodents as they performed a repetitive task 200 times. They noticed that the brain activity patterns changed slightly with each repetition, creating a kind of “neural signature” of progress through the task.

Here’s where it gets really interesting — these brain patterns followed the same path regardless of how quickly or slowly the animals completed the task. It wasn’t about the clock time – it was about the number of experiences.

“The length of time it took to complete the task didn’t impact the brain patterns. The brain is not a clock; it acts like a counter,” Hyman illustrates. “Our brains register a vibe, a feeling about time. …And what that means for our workers making widgets is that you can tell the difference between making widget No. 85 and widget No. 60, but not necessarily between No. 85 and No. 88.”

Results: Revealing the Brain’s Relay Race

So, how does the brain actually keep track of all these experiences? The researchers discovered something pretty incredible – it’s like a tiny relay race happening in your head.

As you progress through a task, different groups of brain cells (neurons) take turns being active. It’s as if they’re passing a baton, with one group of cells handling a few repetitions before handing it off to the next group.

“So, the cells are working together and over time randomly align to get the job done: one cell will take a few tasks and then another takes a few tasks,” Hyman continues. “The cells are tracking motions and, thus, chunks of activities and time over the course of the task.”

This doesn’t just apply to physical tasks, either. The same principle works for other kinds of experiences, like having a conversation. You might remember the general flow of topics during a dinner chat, but it’s hard to recall every single sentence in order.

The study also confirmed something many people have suspected: keeping busy really does make time seem to pass more quickly.

“The more we do, the faster time moves. They say that time flies when you’re having fun. As opposed to having fun, maybe it should be ‘time flies when you’re doing a lot’,” Hyman says.

Discussion & Takeaways: Why This Matters

The ACC, the brain region studied here, is involved in many psychiatric and neurological disorders, including mood disorders, PTSD, addiction, anxiety, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding how this part of the brain works could potentially lead to new treatments or therapies.

For everyday people, this new understanding of how our brains perceive time might help us manage our days better. Hyman suggests that if we want to remember something clearly, we might want to slow down and take breaks between activities. On the other hand, if we’re trying to get over something quickly, jumping into a new activity right away might help time seem to pass more quickly.

“When things move faster, we tend to think it’s more fun — or sometimes overwhelming. But we don’t need to think of it as being a purely psychological experience, as fun or overwhelming; rather, if you view it as a physical process, it can be helpful,” Hyman concludes.

“If it’s overwhelming, slow down or if you’re bored, add activities. People already do this, but it’s empowering to know it’s a way to work your own mental health, since our brains are working like this already.”