Do you find yourself getting distracted more frequently these days? There’s a reason for this: Concentration is about keeping what’s important in mind while suppressing thoughts that are distracting from your main goal. The “executive” part of the brain loses its ability to sort out distractions as we become older. It’s a complex filtering procedure that necessitates a lot of mental effort. Many individuals believe that gaps in concentration are a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Certainly not. While memory and focus are closely related, they are not identical.
If you’re worried about being more distracted:
Make getting enough sleep a priority
Poor concentration is significantly linked to a lack of sleep. When we sleep, our brain sifts through the day’s material and determines what to keep and what to discard. Sleep allows the brain to process information. The brain also removes hazardous byproducts of the day’s work during sleep. Sleeping for seven to eight hours every night is ideal.
Increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain
Take care of any issues that may impede your ability to get enough oxygen. For example, high blood pressure, as well as sleep apnea and obesity. (Obesity appears to diminish one’s ability to resist distractions, in addition to contributing to sleep apnea.) Aerobic exercise is an excellent technique to ensure that oxygen reaches the brain.
Brain-taxing situations should be avoided or limited
Chronic stress, worry, and depression all put a strain on the brain’s resources for concentration. Actively manage stressors in your life and seek depression and anxiety treatment. Consider alternatives to brain-fogging drugs. If you have hearing or vision problems, you should get glasses or use hearing aids. This allows the brain to concentrate instead of trying to comprehend hazy images or jumbled words. Alcohol also makes it difficult to think and sleep.
Distract yourself as little as possible
Treat a painful situation. (Pain is a very difficult distraction to ignore.) Turn off your phone’s notifications. Multitasking is a misconception that must be debunked. Concentrate on just one item at a time. Turn off the radio or ask your companion to cease talking until traffic complexity has lessened in critical situations, such as driving.
Practice concentrating your attention
This isn’t about punishing yourself in order to make yourself strive harder (that doesn’t work). Instead, you can utilize simple mindfulness techniques to get started. Every day, set aside ten to twenty minutes to focus just on your breathing. There are no repercussions if you realize your mind has wandered. Simply refocus your attention to your breathing. You can enhance your capacity to identify when your mind is off track and reduce the amount of time you “spent away” by learning to monitor your thoughts.
Are you concerned about your ability to concentrate and focus? Let’s have a look at the options. Call us at 855.456.7972.
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