This type of cognitive sluggishness can exist for a range of reasons, including stress, poor sleep, nutrition, and more. Sometimes brain fog may be a signal that your health and wellness regimen needs further attention and professional guidance. Additionally, there are a handful of lifestyle tweaks — from observations by experts — that may help alleviate brain fog and inspire mental clarity.

If you zip from task to task throughout the day, you may not be giving your brain the break it needs to function well. For example, the aftermath of having COVID may leave you with lingering brain fog , even when you feel physically better, due to possible inflammation associated with the virus, notes Harvard Health Publishing.

Prioritizing your absolute-must tasks while scheduling downtime can help support mental stability while working with the fog, she says.

For example, use the alarms on your phone, schedule reminders through a voice assistant, set up auto pay for your bills, and organize your meetings into a calendar.

This may help take away some of the stress associated with brain fog. For that reason, she recommends a low-inflammatory diet, which roughly means limiting or avoiding highly processed foods and red and processed meats, and sticking to a plant-based or Mediterranean-style of eating that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

Brain fog may be one symptom of certain autoimmune conditions, Wilhour adds. For example, according to the Arthritis Foundation , people with rheumatoid arthritis often report feeling forgetful and unable to concentrate, and separately, anywhere from 40 to 80 percent of people with fibromyalgia and lupus may experience brain fog, per Duke Health.

One study on people with rheumatoid arthritis, and other research on people with multiple sclerosis, showed that an anti-inflammatory diet may help alleviate some of the symptoms of the diseases, including improved cognitive function. In addition, research shows evidence that a low-inflammation diet may be protective for brain health as we age, Wilhour adds.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, for adults, to keep not only the heart in good shape but the brain, too.

Research also shows that physical activity induces changes in the brain, such as an increase in gray matter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a molecule that plays a role in creating neural connections related to learning and memory, per MedlinePlus.

Memory, executive control, and attention may all get a boost when you work up a sweat. Plus, exercise is a great antidote to stress for many people, and as additional research shows , it builds up your cognitive reserves to help your brain become more resilient as you age.

Activities that stimulate and support your cognitive health include reading books, tackling crossword puzzles, playing games or instruments, and keeping updated on current events, among others. Not all distractions come from outside sources.

Exhaustion, worry , anxiety, poor motivation, and other internal disturbances can be particularly difficult to avoid.

A few strategies you might want to try to minimize or eliminate such internal distractions are to make sure you are well-rested prior to the task and to use positive thoughts and imagery to fight off anxiety and worry.

If you find your mind wandering toward distracting thoughts, consciously bring your focus back to the task at hand. While multitasking may seem like a great way to get a lot done quickly, it turns out that people are actually rather bad at it.

Juggling multiple tasks at once can dramatically cut down on productivity and makes it much harder to hone in on the details that are truly important. Think of your attention as a spotlight. If you shine that spotlight on one particular area, you can see things very clearly. If you were to try to spread that same amount of light across a large dark room, you might instead only glimpse the shadowy outlines.

Part of knowing how to focus is making the most of the resources you have available. Stop multitasking and instead give your full attention to one thing at a time. It's tough to stay mentally focused when you are ruminating about the past, worrying about the future, or tuned out of the present moment for some other reason.

You have probably heard people talk about the importance of " being present. This notion of being present is also essential for recapturing your mental focus. Staying engaged in the here and now keeps your attention sharp and your mental resources honed in on the details that really matter at a specific point in time.

It may take some time but work on learning to truly live in the moment. You cannot change the past and the future has not happened yet, but what you do today can help you avoid repeating past mistakes and pave a path for a more successful future.

Mindfulness is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. Despite the fact that people have practiced forms of mindfulness meditation for thousands of years, its many health benefits are only recently starting to be understood.

In one study, researchers had human resources professionals engage in simulations of the sort of complex multitasking they engaged in each day at work. These tasks had to be completed in 20 minutes and included answering phones, scheduling meetings, and writing memos with sources of information pouring in from multiple sources including by phone calls, emails, and text messages.

Some of the participants received 8 weeks of training in the use of mindfulness meditation , and the results found that only those who had received this training showed improvement in concentration and focus. Members of the meditation group were able to stay on task longer, switched between tasks less frequently, and performed the work more efficiently than the other groups of participants.

Practicing mindfulness can involve learning how to meditate, but it can also be as simple as trying a quick and easy deep breathing exercise. Start by taking several deep breaths while really focusing on each and every breath.

When you feel your mind naturally begin to wander, gently and uncritically guide your focus back to your deep breathing. While this might seem like a deceptively simple task, you may find that it is actually much more difficult than it appears.

Fortunately, this breathing activity is something you can do anywhere and anytime. Eventually, you will probably find that it becomes easier to disengage from intrusive thoughts and return your focus to where it belongs.

Have you ever tried to stay mentally focused on the same thing for a long period of time? After a while, your focus starts to break down and it becomes more and more difficult to devote your mental resources to the task.

Not only that, but your performance ultimately suffers as a result. Traditional explanations in psychology have suggested that this is due to attentional resources being depleted, but some researchers believe that it has more to do with the brain's tendency to ignore sources of constant stimulation.

Researchers have found that even taking very brief breaks by shifting your attention elsewhere can dramatically improve mental focus.

So the next time you are working on a prolonged task, such as preparing your taxes or studying for an exam, be sure to give yourself an occasional mental break. Shift your attention to something unrelated to the task at hand, even if it is only for a few moments.

These short moments of respite might mean that you are able to keep your mental focus sharp and your performance high when you really need it. Building your mental focus is not something that will happen overnight. Even professional athletes require plenty of time and practice in order to strengthen their concentration skills.

One of the first steps is to recognize the impact that being distracted is having on your life. If you are struggling to accomplish your goals and find yourself getting sidetracked by unimportant details, it is time to start placing a higher value on your time.

By building your mental focus, you will find that you are able to accomplish more and concentrate on the things in life that truly bring you success, joy, and satisfaction.

Mental focus refers to your ability to concentrate on relevant information in your environment. This ability allows you to attend to things that require attention, complete tasks that you need to accomplish, and acquire new information. In order to focus, the brain needs to filter out irrelevant information to concentrate on what really matters.

Different types of attention can affect your ability to focus. About Mind Tools Content. Using simple techniques to de-stress. Boosting Your People Skills.

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Developing Your Team. Talent Management. Problem Solving. Decision Making. Environment Your personal work environment plays a large role in your ability to concentrate. Here are some ideas for improving your physical environment: Make sure you're comfortable — Start by ensuring that your chair and desk are at the right height for you to work comfortably.

If your chair is too high or your desk is too low, you'll be uncomfortable, and you'll be tempted to use this as an excuse to get up and walk away. Put up pictures — Viewing a natural scene or watching wildlife can help improve concentration. If you're able to put up pictures in your workspace, then choose landscapes or natural images that you enjoy.

This can help your concentration, especially if you can see the pictures from your desk. Drown out the noise — Listening to music can help, especially if it's instrumental music. Some people even use "white noise" apps — these produce a calming sound like ocean waves or falling rain.

This steady background noise can drown out other noise, helping you focus better and ignore distractions.

The inability to concentrate on the task at hand is one of the maladies of our time--everyone wants to know how to focus better, how to concentrate. Yet, the benefits of improving concentration and focus make it an issue worth addressing.

Concentration means control of attention. It is the ability to focus the mind on one subject, object, or thought, and at the same time exclude from the mind every other unrelated thought, ideas, feelings, and sensations.

That last part is the tricky part for most of us. To concentrate is to exclude, or not pay attention to, every other unrelated thought, idea, feeling, or sensation. Our daily routine is dominated by switching in and out of our mobile phones and computer. We get a constant influx of messages from WhatsApp, email, Telegram, and the half-dozen other apps that are somehow critical to our job.

We constantly search for information to help solve our daily problems or get our work done. Frequent distractions affect productivity. It takes longer to finish a task.

It affects memory. This is a common question for many. And often, the answer can be found in your daily activities and some areas you can control.

These can include:. These are just a few examples of reasons you may not be able to concentrate. And they largely fall under five primary categories or factors. We are bombarded by a constant flow of information, whether new or old, during the process of doing something. Researchers have found that our brains are so primed for this distraction that just seeing our smartphone impairs our ability to concentrate.

We constantly assess whether the information is useful, sufficient, or meaningless. The sheer quantity coming in muddles our assessment of whether we actually need more information to make decisions. Scientists have found that lack of sleep can lead to lower alertness , slower thought processes, and reduced concentration.

You will have more difficulty focusing your attention and may become confused. As a result, your ability to perform tasks especially relating to reasoning or logic can be seriously affected.

Chronically poor sleep further affects your concentration and memory. Allison T. Siebern from the Stanford University Sleep Medicine Centre notes that if you cannot concentrate on what is at hand, it is unlikely to make it to either your short- or long-term memory. Have you ever noticed how vigorous exercise leaves you feeling more relaxed and energetic throughout the day?

You may feel tightness in your neck, shoulder, and chest and such persistent, low-level discomfort can affect your concentration.

What we eat contributes to how we feel , including our mental sharpness and clarity, throughout the day. Low-fat diets can ruin focus because the brain needs certain essential fatty acids. Other restrictive diets may negatively affect concentration by not providing the nutrients the brain needs or by creating hunger, cravings, or feeling of unwellness in the body that are themselves distracting.

Depending on what you are doing, the environment can affect your focus. Obviously, a noise level that is too loud is a problem, but many people also have difficulty concentrating when it is too quiet. A favorite song quickly has you singing along, happily distracted, while less distinct instrumentals might keep you attuned to the task.

Lighting that is too bright or too dim can affect your vision. A room that is too hot or too cold creates discomfort.

Depending on the cause, you may have to temporarily accept that your concentration is low and learn a few tricks to reduce the impact or accept the dips as they come.

If you need help with concentration and think your difficulties go beyond the list above, consult with a professional. Now you know why you need help with concentration.

What can help you to focus better? Eliminate distractions. How do we focus better if we are always bombarded with information? Make a practice blocking time in your schedule to do a specific task or activity. During this time, request that you be left alone or go to a place where others are unlikely to disturb you: a library, a coffee shop, a private room.

Close social media and other apps, silence notifications, and k eep your phone hidden from sight in a bag or backpack. As described in HBR, researchers found that cognitive capacity was significantly better when the phone was out of sight , not just turned off.

Keep Your primary focus is to complete what you need to do. Shutting off both internal and external disturbances can help you to concentrate.

Reduce multitasking. Attempting to perform multiple activities at the same time makes us feel productive. And lower productivity can lead to burnout.

Examples of multitasking include listening to a podcast while responding to an email or talking to someone over the phone while writing your report. Such multitasking not only hampers your ability to focus but compromises your work quality. Practice mindfulness and meditation. Meditating or practicing mindfulness activities can strengthen well-being and mental fitness and improve focus.

During the meditation process, our brain becomes calmer and our whole body becomes more relaxed. We focus on our breath during the process so that we will not be distracted by our minds. With practice, we can learn to use our breath to bring our attention back to a particular task so that it can be done well even if we get interrupted.

Get more sleep. Many factors affect your sleep. One of the most common is reading from an electronic device like a computer, phone, or tablet or watching your favorite movie or TV show on an LED TV just before bedtime.

Research has shown that such devices emit light towards the blue end of the spectrum. Such light will stimulate your eye retina and prevent the secretion of melatonin that promotes sleep anticipation in the brain.

Use a filter or "blue light" glasses to minimize such blue light or avoid all electronic devices before bed. Other ways to improve sleep include avoiding exercise late in the day, staying hydrated throughout the day, using journaling or breathing exercises to quiet the mind, and creating a predictable bedtime routine and schedule.

Choose to focus on the moment. It might feel counterintuitive when you feel unable to concentrate, but remember that you choose where you focus. It's tough to concentrate when your mind is always in the past and worrying about the future. Acknowledge the impact, what you felt, and what you learned from it, then let it go.

A hallmark sign of sleep apnea is appearing to get enough sleep but still feeling excessively sleepy during the day. According to Wilhour, health concerns that can contribute to brain fog include chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia , depression, diabetes, mild cognitive impairment and dementia , and autoimmune conditions, among others.

Lagging focus, lacking understanding, trouble finding words, and poor concentration are all symptoms of brain fog in multiple sclerosis, and a brain-fog feeling can sometimes be the first symptom of the disease, per to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Brain fog is also frequently found in hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid , for which 80 percent of people with the disease report fatigue, sleepiness, and frequent forgetfulness, according to research. While these are just a few examples, proper treatment or management of these underlying conditions may help relieve the cognitive symptoms of brain fog.

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Medically Reviewed. Justin Laube, MD. Just like how sitting in one spot for a long time can make your muscles feel achy and stiff, staring at one object does essentially the same to your eyes.

If you don't periodically refocus, your vision can become a little blurry or fuzzy after work. Blue light glasses, which filter out the blue light that screens emit , have become popular to help screen-exhaustion. However, they won't help with eye strain, but could potentially help your quality of sleep.

One of the main symptoms of chronic sleep loss is poor concentration. Getting a solid seven to eight hours ahead of a busy work day could be the difference between being frazzled and being laser-focused.

If you can disconnect from the internet, there are fewer things to distract you from the work at hand. Experts think that every time you flip between tasks — whether it be responding to a friend on Facebook or checking your inbox — a little bit of your attention remains with the task you just left.

Sophie Leroy, a professor at the University of Washington at Bothell, coined the term " attention residue " as the reason for why it's so hard to change tasks.

Eliminating those online distractions can keep you from finding tasks to flip between and help you focus. Disconnecting from the internet may mean unplugging from social media too. If possible, try limiting or all together getting rid of social media use during your work day. Designating time to look through social media, rather than checking it constantly throughout the day, can help you stay on task.

Focusing requires a lot of willpower, and so does making decisions. According to a concept called ego depletion , we have a finite amount of mental energy, and both decision-making and willpower can drain it.

To save that energy for concentration, proponents of the theory suggest getting rid of excess variables that require you to make decisions, like choosing where to work. Try working from the same location whenever you need to focus, for example. That way, when it's time to get the work done, you won't have to waste time deciding where to go.

Taking care of your mental and physical well-being are the best things you can do to help stay focused. This means getting plenty of sleep, moving your body, and protecting your eyes from screen burnout. However, maintaining focus doesn't mean you shouldn't take breaks.

If you think it could help your productivity, time-blocking and including rest periods between sessions of work can help you organize your time and optimize your schedule. If you feel yourself struggling to stay focused, organized, or on schedule, you may have a type of ADHD and should schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional who can help determine or rule out a diagnosis.

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