Researchers Explain Why a Minute on the Treadmill Feels Like an Eternity.

According to ТСН: Scientists have determined that during intense physical exercise, the human brain tends to overestimate the duration of time. This explains the familiar feeling that everyone experiences when visiting the gym: minutes on the treadmill seem endless.

Research Results

Researchers conducted an experiment with 22 participants who were not allowed to look at a clock or timer during their workouts. They performed tasks while standing still, moving backward, and running. The results showed that while running, participants overestimated time by approximately nine percent.

This means that if you run several kilometers in the gym, what feels like a minute actually lasts 54.6 seconds.

Reasons for Time Perception

Previous studies indicated that this phenomenon is related to increased heart rates during physical exertion. However, new research suggests that the effect is primarily caused by the cognitive efforts required to maintain balance and coordination while running.

“Accurate perception of the passage of time is crucial for many everyday activities, but the subjective feeling of the duration of events often does not correspond to their physical duration.”

This perception can extend to everyday situations, such as waiting for a bus or cooking in the microwave, which often seem longer than they actually are.

At the same time, it is known that time “flies” and seems shorter, for example, during entertainment or vacations.

It should be noted that while running significantly increases heart rates compared to walking, the distortion of time in both cases is virtually the same. This compellingly suggests that the reason for the effect lies not in physiological exertion, but in cognitive efforts to control movement.

Additionally, a yoga instructor previously recommended 4 movements to include in all sessions for people over 60, which also highlights the importance of physical activity at any age for improving overall time perception and coping with such sensations.