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12 Tips to Improve Your Concentration By Kim Anderson
1. Train your brain • Playing certain types of games can help you get better at concentrating. Try: • sudoku • crossword puzzles • chess • jigsaw puzzles • word searches or scrambles • memory games • Brain training games can also help you develop your working and short-term memory, as well as your processing and problem-solving skills
Older adults • The effects of brain training games may be particularly important for older adults, since memory and concentration often tend to decline with age. • After 10 years, the majority of study participants reported they could complete daily activities at least as well as they could at the beginning of the trial, if not better. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.
2. Get your game on • Brain games may not be the only type of game that can help improve concentration. Newer research also suggests playing video games could help boost concentration. • This review had several limitations, including the fact that the studies focused on widely varying topics, including video game addiction and possible effects of violent video games. Studies specifically designed to explore benefits of video games could help support these findings.
3. Improve sleep • Sleep deprivation can easily disrupt concentration, not to mention other cognitive functions, such as memory and attention. • Occasional sleep deprivation may not cause too many problems for you. But regularly failing to get a good night’s sleep can affect your mood and performance at work. • Being too tired can even slow down your reflexes and affect your ability to drive or do other daily tasks. • A demanding schedule, health issues, and other factors sometimes make it difficult to get enough sleep. But it’s important to try and get as close to the recommended amount as possible on most nights.
Many experts recommend adults aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. • Improving the sleep you do get can also have benefit. A few quick tips: • Turn off the TV and put away screens an hour before bed. • Keep your room at a comfortable but cool temperature. • Wind down before bed with soft music, a warm bath, or a book. • Go to bed and get up around the same time each day, even on weekends. • Exercise regularly, but try to avoid a heavy workout just before bed. • You can find more tips on healthy sleep habits here.
4. Make time for exercise • Do what you can • Although aerobic exercise is recommended, doing what you can is better than doing nothing at all. Depending on your personal fitness and weight goals, you may want to exercise more or less. • But sometimes it just isn’t possible to get the recommended amount of exercise, especially if you live with physical or mental health challenges. • If you struggle to find time to exercise or don’t want to join a gym, try to think of fun ways to work it in throughout the day. If you get your heart rate up, you’re exercising. Ask yourself:
Can you walk your kids to school? • Can you get up 20 minutes earlier every morning to fit in a quick jog around your neighborhood? • Can you split up your weekly grocery trip into two or three trips by foot or bike? • Can you walk to the coffee shop instead of drive? • If you can, try getting exercise right before you really need to focus or when taking a mental break.
5. Spend time in nature • If you want to boost your concentration naturally, try to get outside every day, even for just 15 to 20 minutes. You might take a short walk through a park. Sitting in your garden or backyard can also help. Any natural environment has benefits. • Scientific evidence increasingly supports the positive impact of natural environments. Research from 2014Trusted Source found evidence to suggest including plants in office spaces helped increase concentration and productivity, as well as workplace satisfaction and air quality. • Try adding a plant or two to your workspace or home for a range of positive benefits. Succulents make great choices for low-maintenance plants if you don’t have a green thumb.
6. Give meditation a try • Meditation and mindfulness practices can offer multiple benefits. Improved concentration is only one of these. • A 2011 reviewTrusted Source of 23 studies found evidence to suggest mindfulness training that emphasizes attention focus could help increase attention and focus. Mindfulness can also improve memory and other cognitive abilities. • Meditation doesn’t just mean sitting silently with your eyes closed. Yoga, deep breathing, and many other activities can help you meditate. • If you’ve tried meditation and it hasn’t worked for you, or if you’ve never meditated before, this list can give you some ideas for how to get started.
7. Take a break • How can taking a break from work or homework increase your concentration? This idea might seem counterintuitive, but experts say it really works. • Consider this scenario: You’ve spent a few hours on the same project, and suddenly your attention starts to wander. Even though it’s hard to keep your mind on the task, you stay at your desk, forcing yourself to keep going. But your struggle to focus just makes you feel stressed and anxious about not completing your work in time. • You’ve probably been there before. Next time this happens, when you first feel your concentration drop, take a short mental break. Refresh yourself with a cool drink or nutritious snack, take a quick walk, or go outside and get some sun. • When you return to work, don’t be surprised if you feel more focused, motivated, or even creative. Breaks can help boost these functions and more.
8. Listen to music • Turning on music while working or studying may help increase concentration. • Even if you don’t enjoy listening to music while you work, using nature sounds or white noise to mask background sounds could also help improve concentration and other brain functions, according to research. • The type of music you listen to can make a difference. Experts generally agree classical music, particularly baroque classical music or nature sounds are good choices to help increase your focus. • If you don’t care for classical music, try ambient or electronic music without lyrics. Keep the music soft, or at background noise level, so it doesn’t end up distracting you. • It’s also important to avoid choosing music you love or hate, since both types can end up distracting you.
9. Vary your diet • The foods you eat can affect cognitive functions like concentration and memory. Avoiding processed foods, too much sugar, and very greasy or fatty foods. To boost concentration, try eating more of the following: • fatty fish (think salmon and trout) • eggs (white and yolk both) • blueberries • spinach • You can find more brain foods on this list. • Staying hydrated can also have a positive impact on concentration. Even mild dehydration can make it harder to focus or remember information. • Eating breakfast can help by boosting your focus first thing in the morning. Aim for a meal that’s low in added sugars and high in protein and fiber. Oatmeal, plain yogurt with fruit, or whole-grain toast with eggs are all good breakfast choices.
10. Drink caffeine • There’s no need to include caffeine in your diet if you prefer to avoid it, but researchTrusted Source does suggest caffeine can benefit your attention and focus. • If you feel your concentration starting to drop, consider a cup of coffee or green tea. A serving of dark chocolate — 70 percent cacao or higher — can have similar benefits, if you don’t enjoy caffeinated beverages. • A 2017 studyTrusted Source found evidence to suggest phytochemicals naturally found in matcha, a type of green tea, not only improve cognitive function but can help promote relaxation. So matcha may be a good option if coffee tends to make you feel jittery or on edge.
11. Try supplements • Some supplements may help promote better concentration and improved brain function. • You’ll want to check with your healthcare provider before trying any supplements, especially if you have any health conditions or allergies. A doctor can go over the possible benefits and risks of supplements with you and may recommend one that’s best for your needs. • It’s often possible to get all the vitamins you need by adding certain foods to your diet, but supplements can sometimes help you meet daily intake goals.
The following supplements may help promote increased concentration and overall brain health: • folate • choline • vitamin K • flavonoids • omega-3 fatty acids • guarana seed extract
12. Do a concentration workout • Concentration workouts often help adults who have trouble focusing. This mental workout involves fully devoting attention to an activity for a set period of time. • Try these activities: • Draw or doodle for 15 minutes. • Spend a few minutes tossing a balloon or small ball with another person. • Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes. Try to blink as little as possible. • Suck on a lollipop or hard candy until it’s gone — resist the urge to bite into it. Pay attention to the flavor, the sensation of the candy on your tongue, and how long it takes to eat it completely.
After completing one of the activities, ask your yourself to write a short summary or sketch how they felt during the experience. You can simply use words to describe your feelings. • Talking about where you lost concentration and how you managed to refocus can help yourself develop these skills for use in daily tasks.
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