Does your heartbeat shape your sense of time? | Irena Arslanova
Jan 10, 2025
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Irena Arslanova, a cognitive neuroscientist, delves into the fascinating link between our heartbeat and how we perceive time. She explains why time seems to stretch when we're bored and flies during moments of joy. By examining the interplay between heart rhythms and emotional states, she reveals how our physiological condition can alter our time experience. Irena encourages embracing moments of stillness as opportunities for mental growth, urging listeners to breathe and savor the present.
Our perception of time is influenced by emotional states and focus levels, altering our experience of moments as either fleeting or stretched.
Research indicates that the rhythm of our heartbeat affects sensory perception, suggesting a connection between bodily states and time perception.
Deep dives
The Elasticity of Time Perception
Time perception can be highly malleable, feeling slower during moments of boredom or pain, while speeding up during enjoyable experiences. This variability stems from how our brains process time through emotional states and focus levels. Cognitive neuroscientist Irina Arslanova emphasizes that understanding time's perception is crucial, as it plays a significant role in our daily lives and overall well-being. This knowledge presents an opportunity to gain control over our sense of time and leverage it to enhance our experiences.
The Heart-Brain Connection
New findings suggest that the state of our heart can significantly influence how we perceive time. Research conducted with participants hooked up to ECG machines demonstrated that stimuli presented during heartbeats were perceived to last shorter than those occurring between beats. This indicates a rhythmic relationship between heart activity and sensory perception, suggesting that our perception of time is an embodied experience shaped by our bodily state. Adjusting our internal state, such as our heart rate, may help expand our perception of time, enabling a broader mental landscape.
Do you ever feel like time slows down when you’re bored but flies when you’re having fun? Cognitive neuroscientist Irena Arslanova explores the ways your brain and heart shape your perception of time, revealing how your heartbeat doesn’t just keep you alive — it also influences whether moments feel fleeting or stretched.