Why does time feel faster when we are having fun?

Question

Accepted Answer

The Cognitive Illusion of Time

When we are deeply engaged in enjoyable experiences, our brain shifts into a state of flow. During these moments, the brain prioritizes immediate sensory input over the active monitoring of temporal passage. This leads to the phenomenon where time seems to evaporate.

Key Psychological Drivers

Reduced Cognitive Load: Because the mind is occupied with rewarding tasks, it stops measuring the tick-tock of the clock. Without the continuous act of "checking" time, the duration feels shorter in retrospect.
 Dopamine Modulation: High levels of dopamine associated with pleasure can alter our internal pacemaker, causing our subjective estimation of duration to compress.
 Memory Encoding: We store memories based on novelty. Since we are having fun, we often focus on the emotional peak rather than the sequential steps, making the event feel like a singular, brief flash of joy.

In essence, time perception is not an absolute constant but a flexible subjective construct created by the interplay of attention, memory, and neurochemical state. When life feels full, the hours simply slip away unnoticed.