Time Perception & Entrainment by Dopamine, Serotonin & Hormones

In this episode, I discuss how our brain and body track time and the role that neurochemicals, in particular dopamine and serotonin, but also hormones such as melatonin, allow us to orient ourselves in time. I review the three types of time perception: of the past, of the present, and the future, and how dopamine and serotonin adjust both our perception of the speed of the passage of time and our memory of how long previous experiences lasted. I also discuss circannual entrainment, which is the process by which our brain and body are matched to the seasons, and circadian (24 hours) entrainment, both of which subconsciously adjust our perceived measurement of time. I explain the mechanisms of that subconscious control. And I cover the ultradian (90 minutes) rhythms that govern our ability to focus, including how to track when these 90-minute rhythms begin and end for the sake of work and productivity. I include ten tools based on the science of time perception that you can apply to enhance productivity, creativity, and relationships in various contexts.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introducing Time Perception, Note on Fasting & Supplements

00:05:28 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:09:25 Entrainment, Circannual Entrainment, Melatonin

00:13:20 Seasonal Oscillations in Testosterone & Estrogen, Tool 1

00:16:06 Circadian Timing, Tools 1, 2, 3 (for Circadian Entrainment)

00:21:13 Tool 4: Timing Physical Activity; Tool 5: Timing Eating Window

00:23:00 When Circadian Entrainment Is Disrupted, Time Perception Suffers

00:25:00 Tool 6: Ultradian (90min) Cycles & Focus

00:31:42 Our Sense of the Passage of Time: Present, Prospective, Retrospective

00:34:40 Dopamine (& Nor/epinephrine) Lead to Time Overestimation; Frame Rate

00:37:18 Serotonin & Time Underestimation; Decreased Frame Rate

00:39:10 Dopamine vs. Serotonin Across the Day; Tool 7: When to Do Rigid vs. Creative Work

00:42:38 Example of Tool 7

00:43:38 How Sleep Deprivation Degrades Performance

00:44:38 Trauma, “Over-clocking” & Memories; Adjusting Rates of Experience

00:50:04 Why Trauma Involves Dopamine & Epinephrine, Arousal

00:51:03 Dopamine, Spontaneous Blinking & Time Perception; Tool 8

00:53:38 Deliberate Cold Exposure, Dopamine, Tool 9: Adjusting Frame Rate in Discomfort