Time Slowing Down...

Why does time seem to slow down when you are about to get into an accident or in some other stressful situation? Is the adrenaline causing your brain to be more aware so it feels like everything around you is moving slowly? Almost like slow motion in Max Payne video game.

I used to race BMX. Every time I got into a big wreck on my bicycle during a race, I could literally feel time slowing down as the wreck was about to occur. It slowed down to the point that I'm literally assessing the crash mentally before I even hit the ground. It is like my brain is going one speed but my body isn't fast enough to react to actually prevent the crash.

Just the other day I saw an car wreck and something similar happened. I saw the wreck about to occur and it was like everything slowed down, but I could quite react physically to avoid it. Luckily, I wasn't involved, but I was missed by a few inches.

a reply to: Edumakated

I think that it is an effect of adrenaline coursing through the body.

Time does seem to slow down. I was in a car accident a few years ago. It it seemed as if time was in slow motion. Everything was a blurr, I remember hearing it at first as we flipped several times, Then there was no sound as If it was going in slow motion and silent. When it was all over with I was blacked out, woke up couldn't remember who or where I was for a few minutes. I do think when something like this occurs your brain reacts in a way to help you deal with what is about to happen.

i think its the brain speeding up that makes it feel like time is slowing down.

a reply to: Edumakated

I believe it has to do with your memory. In certain situations like that wouldn't it be more like you remember the details so vividly that as you replay it back in your head it becomes slowed down because you remember every detail thus making it seem like time has slowed down.

a reply to: Edumakated

It's definitely a weird experience. I also experienced the slow motion thing during a car accident. My wife was also in a bad accident and experienced the same thing. I don't think it's adrenalin because in my case, I was totally caught off guard. I didn't have time to tense up or think. The whole time during the slow motion thing I kept repeating "this is it". I really thought it was going to be lights out for me. Seven hours away, my mother had a premonition something bad was happening to me and had a strong flower scent around her. Weird.

a reply to: Edumakated

Your brain takes over your body and then your brain opens the door to time,it's that 1.7 to 2.4 seconds that your brain establishes the 89% to 92% use of the brain.

Adrenaline and this specific window are not the same.Always remember how it happened and why and study it,and hopefully you will understand once more doors open in your brain.

Just to let you know...that ‘Slow Motion Event’ is one of the most fascinating frontiers that some one can ever say it happened to, it's REALLY as if time had slowed down, so I can relate to the fullest, loll

a reply to: Edumakated

I can relate. I used to and still skateboard sometimes. I just can't afford to break anything like I was able to before. What some skate noobs don't know is that when in the learning stage of general skateboarding or even learning a new trick, you have to accept the fact that you're going to fail a number of times before it becomes natural.

The "art of the bail" is just as important as learning the "art of the landing", in my opinion.

My take on the appearance of time slowing down is simple. When the brain gets overloaded with information as it struggles to process not only your surroundings, but some type of reflex that is going to save your life, it releases a special chemical that dilates times, allowing you to react in a highly traumatic situation.

Time slowed down as I skateboarded. I was enjoying life and the adrenaline was pumping whether I landed the trick or not. Throwing yourself down a flight of stairs at high speeds, absolutely demands focus. Throw in a flip or grind and you better watch them ankles when landing. Focus is paramount.

Its your brain's way of dealing with traumatic or highly static moments by hopefully assisting you towards a better outcome, you just have to realize the mess you're in and react. It can be trained and is really just the next level of how the average human absorbs their surroundings and reacts to stimulus. Many just don't put enough effort in.

If you act slow in a fast paced world, everything will seem like its going faster than it really is. Think of it as shutter speed on a camera, people who take in more frames per observation have more to analyze, thus creating the need to slowdown and process it correctly as well as beneficially.

The more memories you are storing, the longer things seem to take. When you are startled/stressed and the adrenaline kicks in, your brain turns on the internal gopro and starts laying down a lot of data. That causes your time sense to drag out.

Most people notice this a lot driving. If you're looking for a place you've never seen, your brain will kick into expectational mode and start laying down data in memory in more detail. When you find it, and backtrack, the return trip always seems much shorter, because you've already seen this and don't store it again in any detail.

Wow I thought I was strange to get that feeling now I know I'm not the only one. I have experienced this many times. Can't give you an answer sorry.

I also experienced a car crash where my thoughts seemed to slow down. I think it is the memory and how we managed to get those thoughts out so fast. There also came a peace with the thoughts thinking I would die.

I think I've read the answer on ATS before.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

and this:

psychcentral.com...

Science is out on this and testing seems to conclude that although the phenomenon is experienced by most in said tests thier ability to perform functions at faster rates was unproven...

I say it is the tests themselves which are poor indicators at how functions can be performed not faster because time is actually passing at the same rate... What is effected during this slow motion period is your speed of thought which was already faster then time or light speed before the boost...

What is therefore effected and highly beneficial during this slow motion period is your ability to visualize and make a decision in order to save yourself...

a reply to: Edumakated

Athletes experience the sensation quite often, calling it "in the zone". It is that moment when your mind is supercomputing your environment, and your body bends to your mind's will to a greater extent. Your senses become sharper and more reactive. Your mind processes the increased senses download very efficiently, and your thought to action, for a moment, is "faster".

I imagine this is how particles of light feel traveling through space when they are bent by gravity, going beyond "c".

a reply to: Boscov

Yes this is true when I'm pitching I can watch the threads of the ball all the way in watch the curve catch the ball coming back for my head and catch it if need be all in slow motion...

Hockey and football this happens more in high traffic at high speed or just before a deke or juke and just before scoring a goal and always analyzing others position and momentum visualizing what I will do then doing it...
Can't really remember having failed ever while experiencing this...

a reply to: 5StarOracle

Thanks for that. It actually goes with my post that we don't recognize the speed of our thought with the memory. Not sure I said that correct, but hope you will understand.

I know the feeling, if you are going to get into an accident, it seems like time slows down. Your mind hyperactivates and you can see things coming at you and react more accurately. It happens when you fall sometimes, it gives you time to protect your head and body. I actually noticed this in Judo too, your body aclimates and the increased speed of thinking helps you prepare for the tiny instructor flipping you all over the place.

Ever watch someone dancing on the slippery ice, staying up when they should have fallen? Others flip and fly and crash. It is a power we can learn to access if we realize we have it. By the way, it doesn't work well when you're drunk.

Every detail is a possible savior or horror. When time is slow the future is short.

Time slows because more and wider ranging mental activity is happening per second.

I think anytime you try to keep track of everything time slows down. I rarely have enough motivation to do that.

A lot of the details are inside the body. Like exactly where every bone and joint are.

a reply to: Edumakated

It's the same effect uppers can have on you - like adrenaline, it kicks your thinking/physiological functions into top gear, operating much quicker so your perception of time is that it's slowed down, when really you've just sped up

a reply to: FamCore

Is they why they pump ADD or ADHD kids on speed pops I mean Ritalin.