Alcohol Minimalist: Mindful Drinking & Behavior Change2 Loka 2025

Think Thursday: Brain Time-Why The Mind Doesn't Experience Minutes The Way the Clock Does

In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores why the brain doesn’t experience minutes the way the clock does. Our perception of time is not fixed—it stretches and compresses depending on novelty, memory, attention, and emotion. That’s why childhood summers feel endless while adulthood years can seem to vanish.

Molly unpacks the psychology and neuroscience of time perception, including how prospective and retrospective time work, why novelty sharpens attention and stretches moments, and how emotions like fear, boredom, and joy distort our sense of time. She also shares fascinating phenomena like the “stopped clock illusion” and highlights how mindfulness can expand our sense of presence and create richer memories, making life feel fuller and more meaningful.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The difference between prospective time and retrospective time
Why childhood feels longer than adulthood
How novelty, memory, and dopamine influence time perception
How emotions like stress, boredom, and joy distort our experience of time
Why mindfulness slows down prospective time and lengthens retrospective memory
Simple practices to stretch brain time and savor everyday moments

Key Quote:

“Clock time is rigid—sixty minutes is always sixty minutes. But brain time is elastic. Two people can live the same number of years yet experience them very differently depending on how much novelty, presence, and emotion they build into their days.”

References and Resources:

Eagleman, D. (2009). Brain Time: The Temporal Dimension of Experience
Wittmann, M. (2016). Felt Time: The Psychology of How We Perceive Time
Consciousness and Cognition (2019): Mindfulness meditation and time perception
Previous Think Thursday episodes: The Power of Reminiscing, The Science of Awe

★ Support this podcast ★

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(375)

Using Sunnyside to Change Your Drinking-With Ian Andersen

This week on the show I'm talking with Ian Andersen, Sunnyside co-founder and CGO all about the independent peer-reviewed study from 2024.Sunnyside demonstrated to reduce weekly alcohol consumption by...

2 Joulu 202446min

Think Thursday: Practicing Gratitude-The Brain Science

This special Thanksgiving episode of Think Thursday explores the profound impact of gratitude on mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and how it intersects with managing alcohol habits. Here's ...

28 Marras 202410min

Alcohol & Grief

This week on the podcast I'm talking all about Alcohol & Grief. I'm discussing different types of grief, the stages of grief and why alcohol can delay healing from grief. Resources mentioned: Grief S...

25 Marras 202427min

Think Thursday: Behaviorceuticals-How Actions Help Change Your Brain

IntroductionWelcome to Think Thursday on the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast.Focus: Using neuroscience and mindset to understand behavior and create change.Preview of today’s topic: Behaviorceuticals—how b...

21 Marras 202411min

The Surprising Secret to Enjoying a Break in Routine

This week on the show I'm sharing an episode from Change Academy Podcast that I recorded with host Monica Reinagel. We're talking all about how going off routine can sound like freedom, but in reality...

18 Marras 202437min

Think Thursday: Reframing the Past with a Gain Mindset

Today for Think Thursday we're talking about mindset. We're focusing specifically on reframing our past with a gain mindset. Molly Watts discusses the importance of mindset in driving behavior and out...

14 Marras 202421min

Celebrating Birthdays: No Alcohol Required

Today's episode is a special birthday episode. Thank you for listening to the Alcohol MInimalist podcast. New to the podcast? Download the Podcast Listening Guide.Want to schedule a call to talk abou...

11 Marras 202423min

Think Thursday: The Power of the Pause to Think on Purpose

Molly Watts discusses the concept of "thinking on purpose" to manage stress and anxiety, particularly in the context of recent events like the US presidential election. She emphasizes the importance o...

7 Marras 202412min