Another Year Has Passed
With the passing of another year, we are reminded that time as we know it marches on, and there isn’t much we can do to stop it. Because our time is limited, it is also very valuable to us. For the same reason, it tends to feel as if it speeds up as we age.
Different Ideas About Time
Some believe that time is only an illusion, that our experience of time (past, present, and future) has more to with our own subjectivity than being a real thing. Most modern Physicists accept this view, claiming that time, the way we perceive it in our minds and in our environment, is very different than time’s innate behavior universally. This theory is better known as “B-theory.”
In Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity time is the fourth dimension as everything we see in three dimensions (x=length y=width z=height) only exist because they have a position in the fourth dimension, time. (Time in space or “spacetime”).
Click on the link “theory of relativity” for a simplified explanation video.
There are many more interesting theories and ideas regarding time such as:
- The Newtonian View of time
- Wormholes and the possibility of Time Travel
- Simulation Hypothesis (i.e. the Matrix)
- Presentism Concept
- Externalism
- The Multiverse Hypothesis
- Time has an ending called “the Big Freeze”
- Eternal Return (Time repeats)
- Cyclic Universe Theory
Linear Time Helps Us Work Together
In the world we live in, we have no choice but to accept time as linear. Our society measures time in seconds, minutes, and hours. To function properly we adhere to the rules of time as we know them. We get up, go to work, take breaks, eat, and even sleep at specific times. Time helps us to work together with others and accomplish more than we would without the organization and structure it provides.
Time’s Perspective
When a lifetime’s worth of time is broken down into specific activities, we can gain perspective. It’s an interesting exercise that could help us draw conclusions about how we could better manage our time and decide what we view as worthy of our time or important to us.
During an average lifetime of 80 years (or 29,200 days) on average, this is how we use our time:
- 33 years In Bed (26 years sleeping & 7 years trying to get to sleep)
- 13 years + 2 months At Work (Keep in mind you don’t work when too young or too old)
- 11 years + 4 months of Screen Time (8.4 years of TV and 3 years on social media)
- 4 years + 6 months Eating
- 3 years + 2 months On Holiday (Never Enough)
- 1 year + 4 months Working Out
- 82 days Brushing Your Teeth (Based on 2 x 2min. / day)
82 Days Brushing and Flossing Teeth
Sometimes the little things we do can mean a lot. Since we spend 26 years of our lives sleeping, doesn’t the 2 minutes we spend brushing before bed have more meaning? If we didn’t do it, it gives bacteria and plaque 26 years to grow and flourish without anything to stop them. We would be feeding their growth and providing the optimum environment for tooth decay. Is it possible that brushing before we sleep, that having a fresh clean mouth might reduce the 7 years we spend trying to get to sleep? As we spend more than 4.5 years chewing food, doesn’t it emphasise the need to take a few minutes each day to maintain our teeth?
Resolution of Dental Routine
Time will keep ticking away. However, as we reflect on this past year and how we’ve used our time, and as we set new goals for how we use our time, don’t forget the importance of a good dental routine. If you spend just 82 of your 29,200 days taking care of your teeth, you can make them last a lifetime.
Regular Visits to Your Dentist
Erbsville Dental wants to help you keep your teeth in good shape for their comfortable use in your eighties or longer. Another good use of your time is visiting your dentist 1 or 2 times per year. People who have regular checkups are much more likely to keep all 32 teeth throughout life. Make Erbsville Dental your partner in dental health, and get a team of dental professionals at your disposal. Make an appointment today!
