The time warp effect comes under the microscope in new research which reveals that when you push yourself it feels like you’ve been exercising for longer than you have

People who push themselves when working out report a form of time warp, making it feel as if they have been exercising for longer than they have, researchers say.

Adults who took part in 4km cycling trials on exercise bikes perceived time to have slowed down, scientists said, with the cyclists overestimating how long they had been pedalling for by about 10%.

The finding suggests people who are trying to improve their fitness might feel their workouts are shorter and more enjoyable if they are distracted from the intensity of the activity by listening to music or training in a more competitive setting.

“People perceive time as moving more slowly during exercise,” said Andrew Edwards, a professor of psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, and the first author on the study. “This distortion may affect pacing and the enjoyment of physical activity.”

Listen to music if you want to see time fly when exercising

Time warp

Writing in Brain and Behaviour, the researchers described how time appeared to run slow when people were exercising but not before or after. The effect was the same across the trials, suggesting the virtual opponent had no noticeable impact.

The time warp does not seem to be specific to cycling, but linked to the intensity of the exercise or how uncomfortable it feels, Edwards said. What drives the shift in time perception is not clear, but he believes that at high intensities, exercise makes the body more aware of the pain it is enduring, making the duration feel longer.

“Exercise, particularly hard exercise, increases focus on the body, creating a heightened awareness of each moment,” he said. “That makes time feel like it’s dragging.

“If time feels slower, workouts may feel longer and less enjoyable. Making exercise more engaging could help people stick with it,” Edwards said. “Repetitive or unenjoyable exercise might enhance this time-slowing effect, while distractions or enjoyment might reduce it.”