5 Ways to Improve Your Concentration

by Doc Harmony | January 13, 2022

In today's world, we are faced with an ever-increasing amount of information daily. Modern technology brings us new opportunities but also stresses through permanent accessibility. This flood of messages overloads our brain and our concentration. It becomes increasingly difficult to focus on one thing and have clear thoughts. That is why it is necessary to know natural and accessible alternatives to improve mental performance. The use of natural elements such as essential oils and relaxation and concentration techniques such as mindfulness have been shown to improve mood and cognitive performance.

What is Concentration?

In psychology, the term concentration is understood to mean the ability to focus on a specific task. Concentration is a cognitive task that leads to the achievement of a goal or the resolution of a certain task. The higher the concentration, the fewer distractions you will have while working and thinking.

People with poor attention spans are often unproductive, have to do jobs multiple times, and take longer to reach their goals. In addition, it is more difficult for them to become deeply familiar with the topics and present good results.

Do you want to increase your concentration?

To achieve this, it is necessary to develop an action plan before your memory and mental performance are saturated, so it is essential to recognize the factors that are involved in the lack of concentration.

What factors favor lack of concentration?

Lack of sleep

If you do not get enough sleep and suffer from constant fatigue, in this state you will not be able to concentrate properly. Our brains need regular rest to remain productive.

Unbalanced diet

If you don't provide the brain with the nutrients it needs to function properly, it will be less productive. If you want to increase your concentration, for that you must eat a wide variety of foods, among them high-quality vegetables and fruits should predominate, but nuts, seeds, grains, and seafood also influence due to their content of Omega 3 and 6.

Loss of Motivation

To be able to solve certain tasks effectively and concentrate, you not only need good concentration, but also the necessary motivation. If there is a lack of momentum, you will lose the joy of work and find it difficult to concentrate.

Sedentary lifestyle

Your brain needs the opportunity to disconnect from time to time. Sport and exercise are ideal. Lack of exercise affects cognitive performance. To increase concentration, you should be physically active at least 3 times a week. Sports that give you pleasure and help you disconnect are ideal.

Stress

Stress is rampant in modern life, usually stemming from task overload or insufficient challenges. Anyone who has more and more tasks on their desk, or who has very little to do, quickly develops stress. Relationship problems and family burdens can also play a role. Stress contributes to the fact that you lose concentration regularly and your productivity decreases.

Constant Distractions

The brain needs time to think of a task. Complex tasks, in particular, require calm and patience. The brain can only do one task at a time, there is no multitasking. Anyone who is constantly distracted, for example by emails, calls, and colleagues, needs a little time afterward to be able to reconsider and reorganize the priorities of the to-dos. So, if you want to improve your concentration, you should try to be less distracting.

Bad time management

Those who fail to coordinate their appointments and tasks in a meaningful way quickly lose focus. When time is up and pressure arises, the ability to concentrate and the quality of the service provided are notably affected.

5 Ways to Improve Your Concentration

Essential oils

Some oils have a positive effect on concentration. It is enough if you smell the aromas because in this way they reach the olfactory cells and from there they send signals to the brain. Essential oils are used in aromatherapy and applied directly to the skin for the management of many ailments. (1)

Essential Oil of Peppermint

Essential oils are purely natural products that are obtained from plants, fruit peels, flowers, woods, or roots. Peppermint oil due to its strong concentration, only needs a little to be able to positively influence your health and the vegetative nervous system (limbic system). The fragrance of mind oil has a direct effect on the brain and therefore can affect the physical and psychological processes of the body.

Peppermint oil acts very quickly and intensely. In addition to its concentration-promoting effect, it also helps with mental exhaustion and poor memory. This oil can also help with headaches and nausea. (2)

Orange Essential Oil

The scent of orange has an effect that improves mood and relieves anxiety. Therefore, it can also be used during exams to eliminate exam fear. Although orange oil increases concentration, it has a relaxing and harmonizing effect at the same time.

Lemon Essential Oil

The lemon scent is very clear and also very good for concentration. It has a refreshing, stimulating, and energizing effect. Above all, it helps with work that requires long and intensive thought. (3)

Minerals and Vitamins

Cognitive health is closely related to nutrition, especially with the contribution of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients that are responsible for intervening in many mental processes such as memory and concentration.

Zinc

It is a trace element that participates in the synthesis of cellular DNA, at the same time it intervenes in the regeneration and action of immune cells. Zinc is essential for the concentration and health of the neuronal connections, an adequate consumption of this mineral reduces the risk of cognitive deterioration, as well as diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. (4)

Magnesium

Magnesium increases learning capacity and improves cognitive processes such as long and short-term memory. This mineral is involved in various physiological processes such as muscle health. At the brain level, magnesium is involved in neuronal connections, intervening in the speed at which neurons transmit stimuli and responses, which is why good levels of magnesium are associated with better memory performance and the ability to respond and concentrate. (5)

Foods with acceptable magnesium content are products like milk, almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, some legumes, and seeds like flax seeds. However, it is not always easy to guarantee adequate levels of magnesium through diet, in this case, there are supplements, most magnesium supplements are pills, but there are other options available that can be used by the whole family, such as Magnesium Body Butter this type of presentation not only provides 130mg of magnesium, it also contains other ingredients such as shea and almond butter, this means that in addition to the transdermal absorption of magnesium, you also acquire vitamins and minerals useful for health and skincare.

Rubbing a little Magnesium Body Butter on your head or wrists daily will provide a daily intake of magnesium, which will help improve your cognitive performance.

Listen to Music of Concentration: Mozart Effect

Researchers at the University of Irvine in California after an investigation determined that a study person who listened to Mozart while completing assigned tasks scored about nine IQ ranges better than those who did not listen to music to complete the task. (6) (7)

However, it is not just Mozart that increases concentration. Each person has certain musical preferences that help stimulate a state of concentration

One important thing to remember is that alpha waves have also been shown to promote concentration and increase memory. Currently, there is a wide availability of musical and audiovisual platforms focused on creating music lists focused on promoting concentration and memory during the performance of various activities, from work to strenuous exercise days.

Get enough sleep

Are you currently working on a complicated task and just can't find a solution? A simple but proven tip: Get a full night's rest!

It is proven that 48 hours of sleep deprivation affect cognitive ability as if you had 0.1% alcohol in your blood.

That is why it is recommended to sleep 7 to 8 hours to help think clearly and improve memory skills. During sleep, neuronal regeneration, toxin disposal, and memory consolidation occur, so when there is a lack of sleep, cognitive processes such as concentration and response speed are the first to be affected. (8)

Drink enough

About 80% of the brain is made up of water. Dehydration can decrease 1/3 of mental focus. Even after two hours after rehydration, people who drink very little are up to 19% behind those who have had enough.

This occurs because when there is a lack of water, the brain cells cannot receive enough energy, so it prioritizes activities, gradually decreasing concentration. Therefore, depending on your height and weight, you should drink around two liters of pure water a day to avoid a drop in performance. (9)

Improve your concentration with small changes!

Concentration and memory are essential for day-to-day activities, improving mental performance are possible through the recognition of the factors that decrease your potential, and a change in habits that improves your mental performance and your quality of life.

References