Why Emotions Only Last 90 Seconds, Even When They Feel Endless

You’re scrolling through social media and suddenly a comment sparks a flare of anger. Your chest tightens, your jaw clenches, and you feel like shouting. The notification buzzes again and your brain screams, ‘This injustice must be fixed now!’ But instead of reacting, you pull out your phone’s timer and set it for 90 seconds. Your brow relaxes as you label what’s happening: “I’m feeling hot anger.” You notice a burning heat in your throat and a flutter in your stomach.

For the next minute and a half, you simply watch. You feel the raw sensation of anger and resist the urge to text back. Inch by inch, the heat shifts into a dull ache, like steam escaping through a valve. A thought surfaces: “It’s just a comment.” The timer’s alarm rings, soft and neutral. Your shoulders drop. You breathe deeply and realize you can choose your next move.

In moments like this, you train your prefrontal cortex—your thinking brain—to observe rather than react. Neuroscience shows that emotions spike in under 90 seconds and then decline if you don’t feed them more thoughts or distractions. By giving that angry flare room to pass, you rewire the automatic “fight” response to a calm pause.

Next time you feel hijacked, you know exactly what to do. You won’t be at the mercy of your defences—you’ll be the one in control. And over time, 90 seconds becomes shorter, your reactions gentler, and your relationships smoother.

When you feel an emotion bubbling up, pause whatever you’re doing and set a 90-second timer on your phone. Quietly name the feeling and tune into how it plays out in your body. Don’t swipe, speak or scroll—just sit and notice the raw sensation until the buzzer goes off. That brief ritual trains your brain to catch feelings at their peak and let them ebb without hijacking your choices. Try it next time you sense anger or panic rising, and watch how your reactions shift.