Time doesn’t literally slow down in nature—our perception of it does. When we stroll through parks and forests, time can feel stretched out. In contrast, in the city we often feel like we’re running out of time, as if someone is stealing it from us in these concrete jungles.
The connection between our environment and the perception of time has been confirmed by researchers from institutions around the world. They recommend that if you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, spend more time walking in green spaces. The Daily Mail reports that fresh-air walks can help slow your perception of time.
How nature walks change your sense of time
According to a study from the University of Turku (Finland) led by psychology professor Ricardo Correa, urban living makes us feel pressed for time, while immersing ourselves in nature slows the pace of events.
Professor Correa and his colleagues compared how people perceive time in urban versus natural settings. They found that people believe a walk in the countryside takes longer than a walk of the same duration in the city.
In a paper titled “Time Grows on Trees,” researcher Maria Davidenko and her colleagues at Carleton University (Canada) found that walking in nature feels slower than walking in the city. Walking in nature also improves mood and reduces stress levels.
“When a person tries to use their time as efficiently as possible, spending it on a pleasurable activity in nature can not only enhance psychological well-being but also create the illusion that they spent more time enjoying that activity than they actually did,” the report said.
Volunteers who reported feeling happier after a nature walk said time seemed to fly by. But their estimates showed they had actually spent significantly more time outdoors.
Ruth Ogden, a professor of time psychology at Liverpool John Moores University (UK), and her colleague Jessica Thompson suggested in an article for The Conversation, “The natural world likely changes not only our sense of time in the moment but also our sense of the past and future.”
“Previous research shows that time spent in nature helps us shift our focus from the present moment to future needs. Therefore, instead of concentrating on the stress associated with time scarcity, nature helps us see the bigger picture,” the researchers wrote.
They say these findings can help people prioritize their actions and achieve long-term goals.
