They've actually done a lot of research into this phenomenon. Here's the latest I've heard as I understand it.
Basically, your perception of the passage of time is what changes (not time itself, obviously). As you get older you perceive the general passage of time as moving faster. Why? The reason for this is memory.
Your brain is a memory making machine, but it craves new experiences. It prioritizes the memory of new experiences.
So, when you are young, the whole world is a new experience. Every school lesson, every new meal or food, every new trip. You just don't have experience so everything is novel to you. You get new clothes more often, visit new stores more often, etc. Thus, your brain is making more new memories. Because your brain remembers so many new things between any two events, say two birthdays as a child, the time between those events is perceived to have taken a long time.
Now, flash forward to age 40. Your life is no longer full of novelty. Most people have established routines. They work the same type of job the same way 40 hours a week. They visit the same stores for the same groceries every time. They eat the same meals, watch the same shows, listen to the same music. Because of this, the brain no longer emphasizes the memory of these experiences. Instead, it "groups" similar experiences together as a unit. Thus, you have a hard time remembering what you did at work three weeks ago on Thursday because it was just like every other Thursday at work and stands out in no particular way.
The effect of this grouping is that time seems to pass by much faster. You largely start to experience time as large blocks instead of individual days and moments. Thus, the time between two birthdays, say, is not 365 days of novel experience, but 12 months of the same old same old so your brain doesn't bother to break it out.
This can be seen in many small scale ways. For example, when you drive as a teenager and when driving in unfamiliar surroundings you seem hyper aware. But, when you are 40 and have lived in the same house for 12 years and drive the same route to work every day, there will be times when you get to work and do not remember the drive in you JUST made because it was so routine and unoriginal. Your brain basically didn't bother recording it, or already grouped it with other like experiences.
Now, novel experiences will still register. It is why days such as vacations to new spots, weddings, deaths, etc stand out so vividly. They aren't routine. Your brain pays more attention to them.
It's like putting each of your pairs of socks in a different drawer. You'd think, man, I have a LOT of socks! Fifteen drawers worth! But if you put them all in one drawer, you only think, I have one drawer of socks. That's what your brain does with memories. When they are all novel, they all get their own drawer. But as experiences become similar, it just starts putting them all in the same drawer.
If you want to slow down your perception of time, generally speaking, engage in new and novel activities. Take up new hobbies, drive new roads, shop at new places and at new times. Hang out with new people, go to different restaurants, watch different television. Etc.
Basically, your perception of the passage of time is what changes (not time itself, obviously). As you get older you perceive the general passage of time as moving faster. Why? The reason for this is memory.
Your brain is a memory making machine, but it craves new experiences. It prioritizes the memory of new experiences.
So, when you are young, the whole world is a new experience. Every school lesson, every new meal or food, every new trip. You just don't have experience so everything is novel to you. You get new clothes more often, visit new stores more often, etc. Thus, your brain is making more new memories. Because your brain remembers so many new things between any two events, say two birthdays as a child, the time between those events is perceived to have taken a long time.
Now, flash forward to age 40. Your life is no longer full of novelty. Most people have established routines. They work the same type of job the same way 40 hours a week. They visit the same stores for the same groceries every time. They eat the same meals, watch the same shows, listen to the same music. Because of this, the brain no longer emphasizes the memory of these experiences. Instead, it "groups" similar experiences together as a unit. Thus, you have a hard time remembering what you did at work three weeks ago on Thursday because it was just like every other Thursday at work and stands out in no particular way.
The effect of this grouping is that time seems to pass by much faster. You largely start to experience time as large blocks instead of individual days and moments. Thus, the time between two birthdays, say, is not 365 days of novel experience, but 12 months of the same old same old so your brain doesn't bother to break it out.
This can be seen in many small scale ways. For example, when you drive as a teenager and when driving in unfamiliar surroundings you seem hyper aware. But, when you are 40 and have lived in the same house for 12 years and drive the same route to work every day, there will be times when you get to work and do not remember the drive in you JUST made because it was so routine and unoriginal. Your brain basically didn't bother recording it, or already grouped it with other like experiences.
Now, novel experiences will still register. It is why days such as vacations to new spots, weddings, deaths, etc stand out so vividly. They aren't routine. Your brain pays more attention to them.
It's like putting each of your pairs of socks in a different drawer. You'd think, man, I have a LOT of socks! Fifteen drawers worth! But if you put them all in one drawer, you only think, I have one drawer of socks. That's what your brain does with memories. When they are all novel, they all get their own drawer. But as experiences become similar, it just starts putting them all in the same drawer.
If you want to slow down your perception of time, generally speaking, engage in new and novel activities. Take up new hobbies, drive new roads, shop at new places and at new times. Hang out with new people, go to different restaurants, watch different television. Etc.
) to about 35, 40 if bad
To one of the GOATs.
