Of all the lifestyle habits that can impact your ability to concentrate, the one with the greatest impact is to get enough sleep. Sleep is not only the foundation of health but the bedrock of everything else in our lives. Not getting enough “z’s” affects everything about you, both the following day and for several days thereafter.
You can even develop something called a “sleep deficit,” which is the amount of rest you are chronically missing. You will experience the symptoms of this sleep debt until you get enough shuteye to recover. That can take weeks or months. Some people have sleep deficits that go back years!
How does lack of sleep affect your attention span and ability to focus? To begin with, your brain literally slows down when you do not get enough sleep. Your thought processes and working memory are both impaired. This wipes out your ability to reason, use logic, and to commit things to long-term memory.
You are less alert when you are tired. Your reflexes are slower. The insulin and cortisol levels in your body will be off, which makes you hungry and grumpy. Your body is trying to get you to focus on it and the fact that it needs rest. All of these things make it harder for you to concentrate and focus on daily tasks, much less anything more complicated.
One of the best things you can do to improve your concentration is to make certain you are getting enough slumber. Most people need 7-9 hours per night for optimum functioning.
Start making sleep a priority. Adjust your schedule to help you get enough shuteye. Give yourself a bedtime every night and stick to it. Do not bring your phone to bed and turn off the TV at least an hour before you go to sleep to help your brain wind down.
Avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and evening will help you sleep better. Develop a bedtime routine you follow every night to help your brain learn that it is time to calm down for bedtime.
Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleeping well. Keep it at a reasonable temperature – not hot but not so cool that you have trouble falling asleep. Block any bright lights, and turn off any loud noises that can keep you awake.
Of course I have acupuncture point prescriptions that can help you break out of a negative cycle and get to sleep more easily if you need a little support.