Human perception of time and its link to cognitive aging

Research and philosophical observations suggest that the human perception of time changes significantly throughout life. While a standard day consists of 24 hours, the first and last days of a person's life are often incomplete due to the timing of birth and death.

Regarding the sensation that time accelerates with age, a study published in Memory & Cognition analyzed 120 individuals aged 20 to 91. The findings indicate that older participants tend to perceive the last decade as having passed more quickly. Contrary to previous theories suggesting that a lack of new experiences or routine causes this sensation, the study found no significant link between time perception and the number or importance of autobiographical memories. Instead, the acceleration appears linked to cognitive function, specifically the ability to record and retrieve new information. As the capacity to capture distinct details of experiences decreases with age, the reduced density of information stored in memory may contribute to the impression that time is moving faster.