Why does time feel like it moves faster every year?

Time isn’t actually speeding up; your brain is perceiving and remembering it differently.

Why it happens:

• Proportion effect: A year is a much bigger chunk of a child’s life than an adult’s, so it feels longer when you’re young.
• Fewer new memories: Childhood has more firsts and novelty. Adult routines blur together, so time feels shorter in hindsight.
• Attention and busyness: When you’re distracted or on autopilot, you notice time less, so days and weeks seem to vanish.
• Possible age-related changes: Shifts in attention and memory can also affect how time feels.

How to slow the feeling down:

• Try new activities or places
• Break up routines
• Be more mindful during daily life
• Journal or take photos to create stronger memory anchors

If the feeling is sudden or tied to stress, anxiety, or depression, pay attention to those too.