Bend Time with Yoga: How Mindfulness Slows the Clock

Written by Jackie Paunil, Creator of the Young Heart Yoga App, E-RYT, RPYT, CHC, MFA

Empowering older adults to move, breathe, and thrive with grace and vitality.

Ever feel like the days are zipping by faster than your morning coffee cools? Or that time somehow speeds up the moment you sit down to read the paper or chat with a friend? You’re not alone. As we age, many of us notice time seems to fly. But what if you could slow it down—no time machine required?

Enter yoga and meditation: your natural, side-effect-free tools to stretch time (or at least your experience of it).

The Science of Time Perception

Our perception of time is less about the ticking of a clock and more about how we pay attention. A fascinating piece from Psyche explains that when we engage fully with the present moment, our sense of time passing can slow dramatically (Hammond, 2023). Mindfulness, by anchoring our awareness to sensations and breath, increases our perception of time by making us more aware of each moment’s richness.

Research backs this up. In a study published in Consciousness and Cognition, participants who practiced mindfulness meditation perceived time intervals as longer than those who didn’t (Kramer, Weger, & Sharma, 2013). Essentially, meditation made time feel more spacious.

And for long-term practitioners? A study in Frontiers in Psychology found that experienced meditators often report feeling like time moves more slowly—especially during longer stretches of practice (Wittmann, Leland, & Sedlmeier, 2015). Their internal sense of time expanded, offering a deeper, more relaxed experience of life.

Yoga: Mindful Movement as Time Medicine

Yoga is moving mindfulness—and that movement helps deepen the time-slowing benefits. When you breathe with awareness, stretch with curiosity, and move with intention, you enter a kind of embodied time warp. You’re not just doing poses; you’re practicing presence.

For older adults, this isn’t just poetic—it’s practical. Slowing down time perception can reduce stress, enhance memory encoding, and increase the sense of control over one’s day. In other words: fewer “where did the day go?” moments and more “I really lived today” reflections.

Try It: Slowing Time on Your Mat

Next time you're on your yoga mat (or chair), try this:

• Sync each movement with breath. Inhale: lift. Exhale: release.

• Notice small sensations—fingertips, your breath at the nostrils, the shift of weight.

• End with a few minutes of meditation or breath awareness.

  
  

By tuning into each moment, you might just stretch your afternoon in the best possible way.

Final Thought

While we can’t stop time, we can shift how we experience it. And that, dear friend, is a superpower worth cultivating—no cape required.

Ready to slow things down and enjoy life more? Download the Young Heart Yoga App and bring time-stretching yoga and meditation practices to your daily rhythm. It’s never too late to savor the moment—and yourself in it.

About the Author

Jackie Paunil is a published author, wellness advocate, and creator of the Young Heart Yoga App, designed for active and older adults seeking balance, vitality, and mindfulness. With certifications including E-RYT, RPYT, CHC, and an MFA, Jackie combines her extensive training and life experience to inspire others to live with purpose and wellness.

Residing on a ranch in Casa Grande, Arizona, Jackie leads an organic lifestyle surrounded by animals she adores. She is a devoted wife, mother, proud “GiGi” to her grandchildren, and a world traveler who has explored the depths as a master scuba diver. Her in-person yoga and meditation classes, alongside her app, reflect her passion for helping others thrive. Jackie's teaching philosophy is grounded in her own holistic practices, empowering students to embrace sustainable, joyful movement and mindfulness for a more vibrant life.

---

References

• Hammond, C. (2023). How to alter the passage of time to feel fast or slow. Psyche. https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-alter-the-passage-of-time-to-feel-fast-or-slow

• Kramer, R., Weger, U. W., & Sharma, D. (2013). The effect of mindfulness meditation on time perception. Consciousness and Cognition, 22(3), 846–852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.008

• Wittmann, M., Leland, D., & Sedlmeier, P. (2015). Subjective expansion of extended time‑spans in experienced meditators. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1586. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01586