Thanks to your smartphone, your attention span is so short, that even a goldfish can hold a coherent thought longer than you can. In 2000, around the time the digital revolution began, the average attention span was close to 12 seconds. However, according to a 2015 Microsoft Crop. study, human attention span has fallen to around 8 seconds in the last 15 years. Meanwhile, research from the MacEwan University suggests that an average goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds.

There has probably never been another time in human history where there was so much to be distracted by. Most of the people think that if they are not able to pay attention to a bunch of different things at the same time, they are missing something important. While staying focused may seem hard to you, it is definitely not impossible – you just need a few simple lifestyle readjustments.

close up hands multitasking man using tablet, laptop and cellhpone connecting wifi
close up hands multitasking man using tablet, laptop and cellhpone connecting wifi

You Just Need To Drink More Water

Did you know that even slight dehydration could influence your attention? A 2011 Journal of Nutrition study found out that when women were even less than 2% dehydrated, their ability to focus on a series of cognitive tests was diminished. Your brain perceives even the smallest changes in your physiology, so it starts operating at a lower level to “get your attention”. You need to know that thirst is not the best indicator of dehydration, so when you start noticing a lack of concentration, it is probably the time to grab a glass of water.

Work On Your Sleep Routine

According to New York Times, almost 20% of adults in the United States use some kind of sleep aid; furthermore, 15% of them use it every night. Irregular sleep routines can deeply affect your ability to focus – having less than 6 hours of sleep, you are probably cutting into the delta sleep phase. What is delta sleep you may ask? Basically, delta sleep is the period when your brain powers down; it is also the period in which a number of cognitive functions of your brain strengthen. Therefore, you need to get at least seven hours of solid sleep every night, and in case your concentration does not improve, consider consulting a specialist.

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Less Coffee – More Cardio 

If you depend on large amounts of caffeine to stay focused, you probably know that it is harder to concentrate when you are not buzzed, because, you know, coffee is in fact a mind-altering drug. If you start drinking a lot of coffee, your brain will start to function as if you need caffeine to stay alert, therefore, you should seek out other effective stimulants, like exercising. Recent research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign implies that aerobic exercises can especially increase the size of the hippocampus, which in turn may lead to improvement in attention and spatial memory.

Conclusion

Even if you start implementing these techniques right away, you cannot expect your focus to improve overnight. Only after a while you will start to see changes, and even those will be gradual in the beginning. However, if things do not start to change after a certain period of time, do not be afraid to consult a doctor or seek out some healthy, cognitive supplements like the Lucid Smart Pill. Nevertheless, when you understand how your brain functions, it is easier to train it better; so chances are you will improve your concentration and sharpen your mental focus after making some lifestyle changes.