Lifestyle factors can contribute significantly to difficulties with focus and a healthier lifestyle can lead to improved concentration. This is so even when there are other factors at play. It is a good idea to try changing your lifestyle to see if there is any improvement before assuming there is something physically wrong with you.
The biggest lifestyle factor affecting concentration is sleep, which is so important that it has already received its own article in this series. The second and third lifestyle factors that most affect concentration and focus are diet and lack of exercise.
What we eat plays a major role in how we feel from moment to moment, day to day, and week to week. A poor diet can result in major health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
Eating too much greasy, fried, or fatty food leads to digestion problems, which is a surefire way to wreck your concentration. Likewise, eating too many simple carbohydrates (which means sugar plus white bread, rice, pasta, and the like) messes up your insulin levels which impacts both your mood and concentration.
Try eating healthier for a week or two. You do not need to cut out everything you like, just reduce the worst offenders. See how your ability to focus changes. You may get a pleasant surprise.
Lack of exercise is the other lifestyle factor that can reduce your ability to concentrate. Our bodies are designed to move, and when we do not move enough, the result is physical and mental problems. Researchers have found a direct link between exercise and the ability to pay attention!
If you have not been exercising, it is a good idea to start slow and start now. You do not need to join a gym or start doing intensive aerobics every day. You need to aim for 150 minutes of exercise every week. That works out to just 21 minutes a day! If you have not been exercising much, consult your doctor before beginning to make sure that it is okay for you to do so. Then build up slowly to these recommended goals if you’re starting from couch potato level.
You can get this exercise in any form you like. It does not need to be running on a treadmill, cycling, or taking a class. In fact, you can get ample exercise in every day simply by taking a walk. Try taking a 20-minute walk each day for a week. You will probably be surprised at how much your ability to concentrate improves. I take my dog out for 30min each morning and then if my day gets too busy I know that at least I’ve done the minimum to help both my health and my concentration.
So if your focus has been slipping, try making a few changes towards a healthier lifestyle for improved concentration.