Reaction Time
Wait for the box to turn green, then click or press Space as fast as possible.
About
Free Reaction Time Test — Measure Your Reflex Speed in Milliseconds
BrainyPulse's reaction time test uses a randomised delay (1.5–5 seconds) before flashing the green signal, preventing anticipation. Click or press Space the instant the box turns green. Your response time is measured using the browser's performance.now() API for sub-millisecond accuracy. Take multiple attempts and track your best time, average, and variance. False starts are recorded as fouls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average human reaction time?
The average human visual reaction time is 200–250 milliseconds (ms). This is the time from a visual stimulus appearing to your finger pressing a button. Audio stimuli produce slightly faster reactions (~150–180 ms). BrainyPulse measures visual reaction time.
What is a good reaction time?
Under 200 ms is exceptional. 200–250 ms is great. 250–300 ms is average. 300–400 ms is below average. Elite athletes and fighter pilots can sustain sub-180 ms reaction times. Caffeine, sleep, and arousal all affect your score.
What affects reaction time?
Key factors include age (peaks in early 20s), sleep quality (fatigue slows reactions by 10–30%), caffeine intake, stress levels, physical fitness, and practice. Alcohol and sleep deprivation are the largest negative factors.
Can you improve your reaction time with practice?
Yes, to a degree. Regular practice narrows the gap between minimum and average reaction times (reduces variance). But hard genetic limits exist for raw neural conduction speed. Sport-specific training improves anticipatory reaction (reading cues early) more than pure reflex speed.
Why does my reaction time vary between clicks?
Natural variation of 30–80 ms between trials is normal. Your nervous system doesn't fire identically every time. Factors like attention, micro-fatigue, and random neural timing all contribute. BrainyPulse tracks variance (best vs. worst) so you can see your consistency.
What is a false start in reaction time testing?
A false start occurs when you click before the green signal appears — meaning you anticipated rather than reacted. BrainyPulse records false starts as fouls and shows them in your session results. Eliminating false starts is key to getting an accurate reaction time score.