Meditate: Slow Time, Live More

Feeling like you're in a rush or that life is passing you by? Meditation may be the answer. Research suggests that meditation can alter your perception of time, helping you to feel more present and mindful.

Meditation has been shown to have a host of benefits, from improving mental and physical health to enhancing positive traits such as focus and decision-making. It can be a powerful tool for slowing down and creating a sense of calm, so you can better manage stress and feel more relaxed and grounded.

But how does it work? By practicing meditation, you can learn to observe and detach yourself from the constant stream of events and distractions that accelerate our sense of time passing. This can help you to cultivate a sense of timelessness and slow down your perception of time, allowing you to savour and appreciate more moments.

So, if you're seeking to slow down and bring more mindfulness into your life, meditation may be a valuable practice to explore.

Meditation can alter your perception of time

Meditation has the potential to slow down one’s perception of time, according to research. It can also speed it up. In a study, participants who meditated for 30 minutes in a lab setting (and had also been practising at home for a week) underestimated short intervals of time (15 to 50 seconds) and overestimated longer intervals (2 to 6 minutes). They also reported that time passed faster for them than for participants who simply relaxed to music.

Other studies have found that meditation lengthens perceived time. One study found that people who listened to a 10-minute mindfulness meditation exercise overestimated its duration, while a control group who listened to an audiobook did not. Another study found that experienced meditators had fewer anxious feelings, and that those with lower anxiety levels had increased time sensitivity.

Meditation can also help you enter a state of "timelessness". Vedic meditation teacher Susan Chen explains that meditation "takes your mind and powers it down to a place of very still activity". When you're meditating, you're fully in the present moment, and "you [may] feel the expansiveness of time".

Meditation can also help you slow down in a more general sense. It can help you to accept the idea of slowing down and opening more space for mindfulness. You can also take this mindset into your daily life, for example by training for a race without music, and finding peace in the silence.

The relaxation response

Meditation has been shown to have a profound effect on our perception of time, and it can be a powerful tool to slow down time and bring more awareness to the present moment. But how does it work, and what are the benefits?

The Science of Slowing Down Time

Research suggests that meditation can alter our subjective perception of time, making it feel slower or longer than it actually is. This phenomenon is known as the "relaxation response", a term coined by Herbert Benson, the founder of the Mind-Body Medical Institute at Harvard University. During meditation, our brains undergo a series of biochemical and physical changes, including alterations in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and brain chemistry.

One study found that participants who engaged in mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes tended to underestimate short intervals of time (15-50 seconds) and overestimate longer intervals (2-6 minutes). They also reported that time passed faster for them during meditation compared to a control group. This indicates that meditation can distort our perception of time, making it feel slower or faster than it actually is.

Benefits of the Relaxation Response

• Lower blood pressure
• Increased focus and clarity
• Slower respiratory rate
• Reduced blood cortisol levels
• Improved well-being and mood
• Deeper relaxation and enhanced sleep quality
• Reduced stress and anxiety

How to Achieve the Relaxation Response

To achieve the relaxation response and slow down time through meditation, here are some steps you can take:

• Start with guided meditations: Apps like Headspace or the Healthy Minds Program App offer guided meditations of various lengths and categories such as relaxation, focus, stress relief, and more. These can be a great way to establish a regular practice.
• Create a dedicated space: Find a comfortable and quiet place to meditate, free from distractions. You can enhance the atmosphere with soothing elements like candles or diffusers to make your meditation space more inviting.
• Be consistent: Frequency and consistency are key. Try to meditate for at least 10-20 minutes every day, and stick with it for at least 30 days to see if it works for you.
• Embrace the unknown: Don't be discouraged if some meditation sessions don't feel as connected or grounded. Keep showing up with an open mind, and peace will fill those unknown spaces.
• Practice mindfulness: Focus on your breath and the sensations in your body. Observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment, and bring your attention back to the present moment if it wanders.
• Try different techniques: There are many types of meditation, such as body scans, visualization, loving-kindness, and transcendental meditation. Experiment with different techniques to find what resonates with you.

Meditation is training for your brain

Meditation is a way to train your brain, much like an athlete trains their body. It is a way to live more mindfully and can help you perform better and recover better. It is a powerful tool for improving your mental health and can be a way to slow down time.

Meditation can be a way to step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the constant notifications and distractions of modern technology. It is a way to train your brain to be more aware and mindful of the present moment. By focusing on your breath, or the sensations of your body, you can learn to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. This can help you to feel more calm and relaxed, and improve your overall well-being.

Research suggests that meditation can alter your perception of time. It can make you feel like you have more time and slow down your subjective experience of time, especially if you are an experienced meditator. For example, in one study, participants who meditated for 30 minutes in a lab setting reported that time passed faster for them than for those in a control group. However, it is important to note that meditation can also speed up one's perception of time, leading to a sense of timelessness.

Meditation can be a powerful tool to help you slow down and simplify your life. It can help you manage stress and improve your mental and physical health. By taking time to pause and focus on your breath, you can activate your parasympathetic nervous system and induce a relaxation response in your body, which includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and brain chemistry. This can lead to lower blood pressure, slower respiratory rate, and improved sleep quality.

Guided meditation apps can be a great way to get started with your meditation practice. It is recommended to start with short durations of 10-20 minutes and to be consistent with your practice. You can also seek guidance from a meditation instructor to find a practice that resonates with you and that you will enjoy.

Mindfulness and meditation can positively affect your nervous system

Mindfulness and meditation can have a profound impact on your nervous system, helping to calm the sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our 'fight or flight' response, and it is often affected by anxiety, tension, fatigue, and depression. By practising mindfulness meditation, we can learn to calm and regulate our thoughts, leading to a reduction in anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms over time.

Mindfulness meditation involves cultivating a deep and non-judgmental awareness of our emotions, feelings, and sensations. It is a practice of focusing on the present moment without judgement, often using the breath as an anchor. This type of meditation has been studied extensively, and research suggests that it can indeed positively affect our nervous system.

For example, studies have found that mindfulness meditation can increase grey matter density in the hippocampus and other frontal regions of the brain, enhancing learning, cognition, and memory. It also increases activity in the anterior insula and cortical thickness, improving cognitive function, attention, and self-awareness. These structural and functional changes in the brain contribute to the positive effects on the nervous system.

Additionally, mindfulness meditation has been found to deactivate the sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This means that it can reduce the body's 'fight or flight' response, helping to lower stress levels and promote relaxation. As a result, meditation can lead to slower breathing, a decreased heart rate, and lower blood pressure. These physical changes indicate a positive impact on the nervous system, allowing individuals to feel alert yet calm and mindful.

The practice of mindfulness meditation is accessible to everyone and can be done anywhere and at any time. It is a powerful tool for managing stress and improving overall well-being. By taking a few moments each day to focus on the present moment and observe our thoughts and sensations without judgement, we can positively influence our nervous system and enhance our overall health and quality of life.

Meditation can help you to observe and detach from the events around you

Meditation is a practice that trains the mind, helping you to become more mindful and aware of your thoughts and emotions. It is a way to cultivate a sense of calm and clarity, and to detach from the constant stimulation and distractions of modern life. By doing so, you can slow down your perception of time and create a sense of timelessness.

When you meditate, you are often encouraged to focus on your breath, observing the sensation of air flowing in and out of your body. This practice helps to ground you in the present moment and can be done anywhere, at any time. It is a way to shut down the activity of your senses and slow them down. By doing so, you are no longer a participant in the events but a detached observer. This act of detachment is key to slowing down time.

Research has shown that meditation can alter your perception of time, with participants in studies underestimating short intervals of time and overestimating longer intervals. This suggests that meditation can create a sense of timelessness, where your subjective time does not match the clock time.

Meditation can also help you to manage your emotions and decrease feelings of anxiety. By observing and accepting your emotions without judgment, you can gain a better understanding of yourself and those around you. This sense of detachment can help you to slow down and create space for mindfulness.

Through regular meditation, you can learn to observe and detach from the events and distractions around you, creating a sense of presence and timelessness. This practice can help you to slow down time and appreciate each moment.

Frequently asked questions