LET’S REWIRE YOUR SENSE OF TIME by Kristine Jordan, DHA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC

Most people think of exercise as something that changes the body. We measure it in pounds lost, miles logged, or heart rates achieved. But movement may be altering something far more profound: our perception of time itself.

Think about the last workout that truly challenged you. Twenty minutes on a rowing machine may have felt like an eternity. Yet a three-hour hike through a forest may have passed in what seemed like moments. A dancer lost in music
often describes entering a state where time simply disappears. These experiences are not imagined. Different forms of movement appear to change how our brains experience the passage of time, and that may hold important implications for mental health across the lifespan.

When we are anxious, time tends to slow down. Minutes drag. We become trapped in anticipation, worry, and rumination about what might happen next. Depression often creates a different distortion, where the future feels distant and empty while the present seems heavy and stagnant. In both cases, our relationship with time becomes unhealthy.

Exercise offers a unique intervention because it pulls us out of our normal perception of time. High-intensity activities such as interval training, boxing, or CrossFit demand complete attention. The brain becomes consumed with effort, breathing, and movement. Every second feels magnified. Ironically, this intense focus can provide relief from anxiety because there is little mental space left for worry.

At the other end of the spectrum are endurance activities such as running, cycling, swimming, or hiking. Here, something different occurs. Many people enter a state psychologists call “flow,” characterized by deep concentration and effortless engagement. Hours can pass unnoticed. For individuals struggling with depression, these experiences may provide a temporary escape from the relentless awareness of time that often accompanies emotional suffering.

The relationship between movement and time becomes even more fascinating when viewed across the ages.

Children naturally lose track of time when they play. Running, climbing, and exploring create immersive experiences that support emotional development and resilience. Adolescents often use sports not only to build physical skills but also to establish identity and belonging. For young adults navigating careers, relationships, and uncertainty, exercise can create a rare pause from the relentless pressure of schedules and deadlines.

In midlife, when responsibilities often peak, movement becomes a way to reclaim moments that feel increasingly scarce. A morning run, yoga session, or bike ride can create a psychological reset, helping individuals feel more present and less consumed by the pace of daily life.

For older adults, exercise may become one of the most powerful tools for preserving both physical function and emotional wellbeing. Walking groups, dance classes, and recreational sports create experiences that anchor people in the present while fostering connection and purpose.

Perhaps the greatest mental health benefit of exercise is not that it helps us live longer. It is that it changes how we experience the time we have. In a culture obsessed with productivity and speed, movement offers something increasingly rare: the ability to slow down, speed up, disappear into the moment, and ultimately reconnect with life itself.

Dr. Kristine Jordan is a board-certified nurse executive and Market Director of Admissions for a national hospice organization, where she leads clinical teams and supports patients and families through some of life’s most complex healthcare decisions. With a background spanning emergency/trauma care and executive leadership in home health, case management, and hospice, she brings both clinical expertise and a deeply human perspective to her work. She also serves as a professor and course writer in healthcare administration and nursing, focused on leadership, ethics, and patient-centered care.