Time dilation is the phenomenon where time progresses more slowly in deeper dream layers, so a lengthy interval in a lower-level dream (e.g., level 4, Limbo) corresponds to only a short moment in a higher-level dream or reality (e.g., level 0).
Standard Somnacin has 12×[1] per level. Yusuf's specialized compound for the Fischer inception job has 20×[2] per level.
| Dream level | Dilation @ 12× | Dilation @ 20× |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (Reality) | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 12 | 20 |
| 2 | 144 | 400 |
| 3 | 1728 | 8000 |
| 4 (Limbo) | 20736 | 160000 |
References[]
- ↑ Arthur: Five minutes in the real world gives you an hour in the dream.
- ↑ Yusuf: The compound we'll be using to share the dream creates a very clear connection between dreamers whilst actually accelerating brain function.
Cobb: In other words, it gives us more time on each level.
Yusuf: Brain function in the dream will be about 20 times normal. And when you enter a dream within that dream, the effect is compounded. It's three dreams, that's 10 hours times 20-
Arthur: Math was never my strong subject. How much time is that?
Cobb: It's a week, the first level down, six months the second level down, and the third level-
Ariadne: That's 10 years.