Perception of Time

[Natski]

Before I start, I must warn you I am a chemist/physicist not a biologist. However, this problem has been in my mind for some time and I want to know if anyone can help. I have heard that our perception of time changes with temperature. If I recall correctly, in the cold time seems to pass slower and in the heat in seems to pass faster.

 

During a recent ski holiday, whilst using the sauna facilities, I played some music through the speakers, I couldn't help but notice the beat of the music was slower. Infact it seemed significantly slower. This was at the point where I was about to leave because I was feeling so overheated and exhausted, I stopped as long as I could and I believe this effect was real (in my mind).

 

So what is going on? Does the brain create some chemical which can affects our perception of time? If so, what chemical? And how does temperature affect this phenomenon?

 

Thanks,

 

Natski

[The Nacho]

Click here fora thingy of time passing and stuff...I don't know if it has to do anything with what you are talking about or not...

[muhali3]

Well, higher temperatures are known to increase reaction rate because it acts as a catalyst, and colder temperatures do the opposite (cyrogenic freezing of frogs). So with colder temps your brain is probably processing info. at a slower speed, and at high temps. - higher speed, respectively.

[The Nacho]

Yeah...that makes sense. So, you could ask your teacher if you can take your timed test in some really hot place...

[Peels]

I have heard that our perception of time changes with temperature. If I recall correctly, in the cold time seems to pass slower and in the heat in seems to pass faster....how does temperature affect this phenomenon? Natski

Sorry, I don't agree with your statement. I think that we should feel time passing slower when the temperature are both too hot and too cold, and faster when it is very comfortable.

 

This has something to do with attention. When something (too hot or too cold, in your case) make us not feel comfortable, we pay more attention to time, therefore, we feel that time passes too slow. When temperature is very comfortable to us, we will try to enjoy it and pay our attention to something else. As a result, we have a feeling that good time always passes too fast and never enough, and bad time (un-comfortable temperature in this case) is always passing tooooo slow even only for a short time.

[Newtonian]

When you get older time flys.

[MolecularMan14]

I happen to suffer from motivation problems much like Tetraspace, but thats only due to my severe laziness . In any case, when I have something to do, but when I seem to be neglecting it, I literally begin to hate time itself. I actually wish that time would stop, just for me to get to rest, relax, and then begin and finish working. I suppose the real problem is time management, but since this is a discussion of the perception of time itself, what would happen if there were to be more "hours in the day"?

[reverse]

Not on temperature,

but for me times seems to pass more slowly if I take time to be aware about the everyday things around me, and passes quickly if I day dream or am problem solving.

 

Q does your heart beat faster in warm seasons.

that might be a clue.

 

Q does time seem to slow down in an emergency, or is that just a television convention.

[reverse]

I happen to suffer from motivation problems much like Tetraspace, but thats only due to my severe laziness . In any case, when I have something to do, but when I seem to be neglecting it, I literally begin to hate time itself. I actually wish that time would stop, just for me to get to rest, relax, and then begin and finish working. I suppose the real problem is time management, but since this is a discussion of the perception of time itself, what would happen if there were to be more "hours in the day"?

 

I have a way around your problem.

 

Say to yourself, I wont actually do the task but will just get out the books, or set up the tools or get the research ready for consideration.

seems once you pre-start the activity the actual start follows on seamlessly.

[reverse]

Uhhh, what am I thinking.

 

I do know something about this.

 

The body is very good at temperature regulation,

so you aren’t going to see the temperature in the brain vary by any great amount.

 

I did do some impromptu experiments on brain temperature.

when I had a bad fever I used the opportunity to do some tests.

My systems were not doing well at keeping my brain at a good temperature.

The result of the high temperatures on the brain seemed to be incoherent thoughts.

But the lower functions seemed more diminished than the higher ones.

(reverse of alcohol)

 

By applying ice to my neck I was able to bring the temperature back into a more acceptable range and the thoughts became coherent once again..