Do you feel time slows down when you are working out? Here’s why

If you’ve ever checked the clock mid-workout and felt like time was crawling, you’re not imagining things. That relentless treadmill minute or the never-ending last set of squats? It turns out, there’s a scientific reason why exercise can make time feel like it’s stretching.

A study has finally confirmed that intense physical activity can distort our perception of time, making workouts seem longer than they actually are. But what causes this time warp? And does working out with others change anything? Here’s a closer look at why your sweat sessions might feel like they last forever.

How your brain plays the game

A recent study has revealed that our perception of time shifts during exercise, making workouts feel longer than they actually are. This effect is more noticeable when we’re physically active compared to when we’re at rest, either before or after a workout.

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In fact, researchers found that intense physical exertion can stretch our internal sense of time, with monotonous workouts feeling about 10 per cent longer than they really are.

Professor Andrew Edwards, who led the study at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, believes this happens because our “psychological clocks” are influenced by the flood of exercise-induced “negative pain signals” reaching the brain.

“When we’re exercising, especially at a high effort, we become very focused on our body and what we’re feeling, like breathing hard or experiencing sensations of muscle fatigue,” he told The Times.

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“This increased awareness makes our brains process more sensory information than usual in the same time, so it feels like more is happening in a short time. That makes time feel like it’s going slower, even though the actual clock isn’t,” he added.

The researchers compared this effect to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, which suggests that time is not absolute and depends on the observer’s frame of reference. In 1929, Einstein was famously quoted as saying: “When you sit with a nice girl for two hours you think it’s only a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove for a minute you think it’s two hours. That’s relativity.”

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Does competing with someone help time pass faster?

To test this, researchers conducted an experiment with a group of moderately to highly active individuals.

A total of 33 participants took part in cycling trials using specialised stationary bikes designed to simulate a competitive race environment. The trials were set up in different conditions—some participants cycled alone, while others raced against a non-responsive virtual competitor or a virtual opponent who actively adjusted their pace throughout the race.

Surprisingly, the results showed that the presence of virtual competitors had little to no effect on how participants perceived time. This suggests that the key factor behind time distortion is the physical exertion itself, rather than the psychological pressure or excitement of competition.

“During exercise, they felt like 30 seconds had passed when in reality only about 27 seconds had gone by,” Edwards said. “In other words, time felt like it was dragging," he added.

The study was published in Brain and Behaviour.

What does this mean for daily workouts?

Anyone who exercises regularly has likely experienced moments where time seems to drag, especially during the toughest parts of a workout. This sensation of time slowing down can be demotivating and might even tempt people to cut their sessions short.

The findings from this study could lead to new strategies that help both athletes and everyday gym-goers push past this mental barrier.

“The take-home message for this study is that our perception of time is indeed impacted by exercise,” said Edwards.

“If time feels slower, workouts may seem longer and less enjoyable. Making exercise more engaging could help people stick with it," he added. “Repetitive or unenjoyable workouts might intensify this time-slowing effect, while distractions or enjoyment could help counteract it.”

So whether it’s blasting your favourite workout playlist or finding a gym buddy, adding a little fun to your routine might just make those sweat sessions feel a lot shorter.

With input from agencies