How Novel Experiences Can Stretch Your Perception of Time

A simple change in routine could make life feel longer, according to new research. Cognitive neuroscientist David Clewett, PhD, has explored how novel experiences stretch our sense of time by altering brain activity. His findings suggest that trying new things may help people remember their lives as richer and more extended. The idea first took shape after an article in Time magazine proposed that fresh experiences can distort time perception. Intrigued, Clewett and his husband began testing the theory themselves earlier this year. They committed to one new activity each week, hoping to make their lives feel more expansive in retrospect.

Clewett’s latest study, published in *Nature Communications*, reveals how the brain processes these moments. When participants encountered a new event, their ventral tegmental area (VTA)—a dopamine-producing region—lit up. This activation marked the start of a distinct memory segment. The stronger the VTA response, the more time people believed had passed. Even small physical reactions played a role. Participants who blinked more during a new experience later estimated that a fixed interval had lasted longer. Clewett’s work suggests dopamine helps the brain divide continuous experiences into meaningful episodes, shaping how we recall time. These insights extend beyond curiosity. For people with conditions like PTSD or Parkinson’s, where memory fragmentation occurs, understanding how the brain segments events could lead to better treatments. Disruptions in this process may explain why some struggle to organise their past into coherent memories. Clewett’s conclusion is straightforward: filling life with stimulating, rewarding, and novel experiences can make it feel longer when looking back. The brain’s natural response to newness appears to stretch our perception of time itself.

The research offers a practical takeaway—seeking out new activities may help people feel their lives are more expansive. By triggering dopamine release, these experiences create clearer mental divisions between events. This could improve memory recall for those with neurological conditions and enrich everyday life for others.