Find yourself in an hour-long spin class that seems to go on forever? No, you are not alone and, more importantly, it doesn’t mean you loathe exercise.
Scientists believe our perception of time changes when we are working at full capacity – and adrenaline may have something to do with it.
According to researchers from the Plymouth Marjon University, we are likely to over-estimate the length of time we have been exercising when our bodies are working at full intensity.
The researchers say that estimates are generally more accurate in the early stages but as time goes on, “we are likely to feel that we have been working for longer than we actually have”.
To test their theory, the researchers studied 12 healthy adults who were given 20-minute rowing and 30-second cycling exercises to perform.
The intensity of these exercises varied from light and heavy to full-on maximal exertion.
The researchers found that halfway through the allotted time, the participants’ estimates on how long they performed during heavy and maximal exercises were actually longer than the actual time.
For example, when cycling for 30 seconds at maximal intensity, participants over-estimated how much time had passed by an average of four-and-a-half seconds.
And during the 20-minute rowing exercise, the participants over-estimated how much time had passed by over two-and-a-half minutes.
Lead researcher Professor Andrew Edwards, of Plymouth Marjon University, puts this down to high adrenaline.
He said: “Our study is the first to show what many amateur and professional athletes already know from experience – time seems to go more slowly when we are pushing ourselves the hardest.
“Science has already shown that in dangerous situations, our brains slow down our perception of time.
“This is thought to be because during an intense experience, adrenaline is high and our emotions and senses are heightened, so our brains appear to pack in more detail as a fight or flight response as we pack a lot in, giving the impression of time passing slowly.
“This could also be the case with high intensity exercise, which – while generally not dangerous – is not a pleasant experience.”
He warns that a “misjudgment in time could lead to a misjudgment in pace” and could become “problematic” when it comes to long-distance events and endurance races such as the Iron Man.
“This research underlines the importance of having a race plan that incorporates both pacing and time,” he said.
“Something as simple as wearing and using a watch to monitor time during training or an event could help to keep endurance athletes on track.”
The study is published in the journal Physiology & Behaviour.
