Depending on your personal fitness and weight goals, you may want to exercise more or less. Ask yourself:. If you can, try getting exercise right before you really need to focus or when taking a mental break.

How can exercise benefit your mental health? If you want to boost your concentration naturally, try to get outside every day, even for a short while. You might take a short walk through a park.

Sitting in your garden or backyard can also help. Any natural environment has benefits. According to the American Psychological Association APA , spending time in nature can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health.

Research from found evidence to suggest including plants in office spaces helped increase concentration and productivity, as well as workplace satisfaction and air quality. Try adding a plant or two to your workspace or home for a range of positive benefits.

Children benefit from natural environments, too. Research published in followed over 1, children from birth to age 7. The study hoped to determine how lifelong exposure to trees and greenery at home or in the neighborhood might affect attention in children.

The study suggests that natural environments could benefit brain development and may improve attention in children. For children with ADHD, research suggests spending time in nature can:. What are some more natural remedies for ADHD? Meditation and mindfulness practices can offer multiple benefits.

Improved concentration is only one of these. A review of 23 studies found evidence to suggest mindfulness training that emphasizes attention focus could help increase attention and focus. Mindfulness can also improve memory and other cognitive abilities. Yoga , deep breathing, and many other activities can help you meditate.

What are some other benefits of meditation? How can taking a break from work or homework increase your concentration? This idea might seem counterintuitive, but experts say it really works. But your struggle to focus just makes you feel stressed and anxious about not completing your work in time.

Next time this happens, when you first feel your concentration drop, take a short mental break. Refresh yourself with a cool drink or nutritious snack, take a quick walk, or go outside and get some sun.

Breaks can help boost these functions and more. What are some signs of burnout? Turning on music while working or studying may help increase concentration, but this will depend on the individual.

What are some more benefits of music? The foods you eat can affect cognitive functions like concentration and memory. To boost concentration, avoid processed foods, too much sugar, and very greasy or fatty foods.

You can find more brain foods on this list. Staying hydrated can also have a positive impact on concentration. Even mild dehydration can make it harder to focus or remember information. Eating breakfast can help by boosting your focus first thing in the morning.

Oatmeal, plain yogurt with fruit, or whole-grain toast with eggs are all good breakfast choices. Which foods can help if you have depression? If you feel your concentration starting to drop, consider a cup of coffee or green tea.

A study found evidence to suggest phytochemicals naturally found in matcha, a type of green tea, not only improve cognitive function but can help promote relaxation. So matcha may be a good option if coffee makes you feel jittery or on edge.

How does caffeine affect your body? Some supplements may help promote concentration and improve brain function. However, there is not enough research to confirm that these supplements are effective or safe for everyone. Also, the Food and Drug Administration FDA does not regulate supplements.

This means you cannot be sure of the precise ingredients or how supplements will interact with other drugs. Always check with a doctor before trying any supplements, especially if you have any health conditions or allergies.

Which supplements can help you focus better? Concentration workouts often help children who have trouble focusing. This mental workout involves fully devoting attention to an activity for a set period of time.

After completing one of the activities, ask your child to write a short summary or sketch how they felt during the experience.

Young children can simply use words to describe their feelings. Talking about where they lost concentration and how they managed to refocus can help them develop these skills for use in daily tasks.

Multitasking has become part of daily life. It seems a good way to get a lot done, but some scientists have questioned this. Studies have suggested that we are not as good at multitasking as we like to think we are.

For one thing, the brain is not designed to cope with doing two or more things at once. What we are actually doing is switching from one task to another. If you have the chance to tackle one thing at a time, you might find you can concentrate better on each of them.

Blocking off time for specific tasks can help you focus on one thing at a time and lower the risk of environmental distractions. Setting time limits can also help you channel your energy toward the task in hand because you know the time you can or need to spend on it is limited.

Researchers looking for ways to help people overcome these challenges have suggested the following tips :. The Marinara Timer, for example, encourages a person to work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break.

After four blocks of 25 minutes, the person will take a minute break. This way, you can focus fully on a task for the allotted time and do something else in the breaks.

These allow you to set a goal to not use your phone. If you use the phone too soon, the tree will die. Other apps allow you to set goals for specific sites each day, such as the news or social media.

Trouble concentrating can relate to things going on around you. Common causes include interruptions from co-workers, distractions from your roommates or family members, or social media notifications.

Some common ones include:. What is stopping me from focusing? Sometimes it takes a trained professional to notice these symptoms. Many adults living with untreated ADHD have trouble concentrating or focusing their attention for long periods of time. A mental health professional can help diagnose this or any other condition and help you get started on treatment.

Therapy, medication, and other treatment approaches can help improve your symptoms once you have a diagnosis. Some people use prescription or recreational drugs, such as nootropics, to improve their focus, but some of these can have severe adverse effects.

Some ways to improve concentration may work well, while others may not seem to do much for you. Consider giving a range of approaches a try to see what helps. Experts still debate the benefits of certain methods, such as brain training.

But existing evidence suggests most of these tips can promote at least modest improvements in concentration for many people. Just make sure to talk to your doctor if focusing is very hard.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY. Staying focused can sometimes be a challenge.

Learn proven ways to improve your focus and concentration at work, school, or with any task that needs…. Empathic listening is a communication technique that helps people feel truly understood in a conversation. Learn how to incorporate it into your daily….

Constantly dream of romance? Fixate on thoughts of your partner? Feel a need to always be in love? Learn why — and why this isn't an "addiction. Professionals focused on their careers frequently learn about the importance of setting goals and continuing their education. According to studies, adopting a few simple healthy practices can help prevent cognitive decline and lower your risk of developing dementia.

Some of them include the following:. The good news is that you can learn how to get your mind active, owing to decades of research.

Memory and other cognitive changes might be complex. We can employ various tactics to support the maintenance of cognitive fitness. Mental acuity refers to the sharpness or clarity of the mind.

It involves a range of cognitive functions, including perception, memory, attention, reasoning, and problem-solving. Mental acuity can be affected by various factors, such as aging, stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and lack of mental stimulation.

A person with good mental acuity can think quickly, reason effectively, and adapt to new situations. They can process information, solve problems efficiently, and remember and recall information accurately.

On the other hand, someone with poor mental acuity may struggle with these cognitive functions, experiencing difficulty with memory, decision-making, and problem-solving. Mental acuity is not a fixed attribute and can be improved with various interventions, such as regular exercise, cognitive training, good nutrition, stress reduction techniques like red light therapy which improves cellular energy , and proper sleep.

Maintaining good mental understanding is essential for overall cognitive health and can help prevent cognitive decline with age. Keeping your brain sharp is crucial because it can help maintain cognitive function and prevent age-related cognitive decline.

It can also improve memory, focus, and decision-making abilities. Additionally, having a sharp brain can lead to a better quality of life and enhance overall well-being. Regular mental stimulation, such as learning new skills, engaging in challenging activities, and social interaction, can help keep the brain sharp.

Regularly challenging your brain can have incredible long-term effects. Here are three justifications for why maintaining mental acuity is crucial:. Your brain works harder when you challenge it to learn new things to keep it sharp.

Your ability to remember things grows as a result. A study showed that London cab drivers had a larger hippocampus than London bus drivers, which is the brain region responsible for creating and accessing memories.

This was because, in contrast to bus drivers who follow a predetermined route, taxi drivers faced the problem of locating and navigating various streets. Your brain can grow in capability through a process called neuroplasticity. Although the cognitive decline is typically unavoidable as people age, there are ways to delay the symptoms and reduce your risk of dementia and other types of memory loss.

You may enhance neuroplasticity by performing some straightforward, well-designed brain workouts. You, therefore, have a better chance of overcoming the reduction in the mental capacity that comes with aging.

Maintaining a healthy brain requires effort in the same way that keeping your body in good shape does. Exercise your brain consistently with training and learning to get the most out of it. A bright mind can advance your profession and delay cognitive deterioration later in life.

You have a better chance of maintaining mental acuity if you think you can improve and implement that idea. No matter your age, there are numerous strategies to maintain mental acuity and keep your brain healthy, according to research.

Daily activities can be quicker and easier when you practice specific brain exercises to improve your memory, concentration , and focus. These exercises can also help you maintain mental acuity as you age. Exercise is essential not just for physical health but also for brain health.

Regular exercise has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline.

Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the growth of new brain cells. Learning new skills challenges the brain and promotes mental acuity. Whether learning a new language, playing a musical instrument, or learning a new hobby, learning something new can stimulate the brain and improve cognitive function.

Mindfulness involves being present in the moment and focusing on the task at hand. It has been shown to reduce stress, improve memory, and increase cognitive function.

Mindfulness can be practiced through meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques. Sleep is crucial for mental acuity as it allows the brain to rest and recharge.

In those instances, other options include adding new types of movement — such as impromptu dance parties at home — or doing a few household chores yes, it all counts as physical activity. During the COVID pandemic, I built a makeshift gym in my garage as an alternative to driving back and forth to the gym several miles from home.

That has not only saved me time and money but also afforded me the opportunity to get 15 to 45 minutes of muscle-strengthening physical activity in at odd times of the day. For more ideas on how to get active — on any day — or for help finding the motivation to get started, check out this Move Your Way® video.

The point to remember is that no matter the approach, the Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults get at least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity anything that gets your heart beating faster each week and at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual.

Youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 years need to be active throughout the day — with adult caregivers encouraging active play — to enhance growth and development.

Striving toward these goals and then continuing to get physical activity, in some shape or form, contributes to better health outcomes both immediately and over the long term. For youth, sports offer additional avenues to more physical activity and improved mental health.

Youth who participate in sports may enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they gain from other forms of leisure-time physical activity.

Psychological health benefits include higher levels of perceived competence, confidence, and self-esteem — not to mention the benefits of team building, leadership, and resilience, which are important skills to apply on the field and throughout life.

Research has also shown that youth sports participants have a reduced risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Additionally, team sports participation during adolescence may lead to better mental health outcomes in adulthood e.

In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, sports can be just plain fun. No matter how we choose to be active during the holiday season — or any season — every effort to move counts toward achieving recommended physical activity goals and will have positive impacts on both the mind and the body.

Happy and healthy holidays, everyone! Paul Reed, MD Rear Admiral, U. Public Health Service Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body.

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Cancel Continue to your destination:. The scientific studies into bilingualism make it clear that learning other languages helps the brain create cognitive reserve.

I memorize new words almost every day, and the benefits are incredible. Many people want to read faster , which is sometimes possible. Put some thought into a long term reading goal. The point is to have a structured reading goal that develops massive knowledge of one topic.

As I read the Bard, I follow up by reading articles about each play and watching lectures about them on YouTube. This simple process helps my brain not only understand one playwright better, but also his entire era and people still writing today. In your case, you might pick all the symphonies of Beethoven to do a deep-dive reading project on, or a particular historical period.

The point is to go deep and practice your focus while reading for the mental sharpness this form of project-focused reading brings. I also continue to study music theory by expanding my knowledge of the circle of fifths and all the key signatures.

Memory expert Anthony Metivier performing at a concert in Germany. For example, one study found that people caring for family members with cancer experienced reduced anxiety after singing with a choir just once a week.

Make no mistake: Anxiety and stress can reduce your mental fitness. So memorize some lyrics and give this simple activity a try to boost yours. Dopamine resetting has been getting a lot of discussion recently. But so far, there are no shortcuts.

Certainly none so impactful as sitting just to sit, or quietly following your own breath. As one study found , even the elderly can start meditating with no prior experience and get results.

To master meditation, all you have to do is show up and practice, ideally at least four times per week. In the context of mental acuity, I recommend focusing on concentration meditations above all. A lot of people ask me about brain games for adults and apps like Cogmed. Myself, I try to keep the time I spend on apps very limited.

And when I play games, I tend to make them social experiences so I get the brain benefits of being with others. That will give you the opposite of the active recall you want in order to keep your brain sharp. Some people shy away from philosophy books. But learning to ask philosophical questions helps you weed out bad thinking.

Even just coming to understand how philosophy is properly defined will improve your mental acuity. From there, you can get into activities like reflective thinking through the use of philosophical questioning.

As I discussed in my TEDx Talk, learning to question everything in a philosophical matter improved my life in many ways. Stress can harm your brain, so anything you can do to reduce it in your life will be a win for your mental sharpness.

Sleep is also critical , alongside choosing memory friendly foods , herbs and teas. For example, over a decade ago I decided to only live in places with excellent transit.

This removed all the hassles involved in owning a car completely from my life. Did you know that many people use ancient memory techniques to keep their minds sharp even in the 21st century? Take James Gerwing, for example. Remember, learning a language is one of the best things you can do to stop losing mental sharpness.

Then, in , James become the Canadian memory champion shortly after retiring as a school administrator. In a slightly different, but equally hopeful vein, Nic Castle retired from the police force with some unfortunately damage.

Fortunately, using memory techniques helped him reduce the PTSD symptoms created by the job. Experiment as widely as you can, and ideally keep a journal of your activities. This physical record will help create observations that you can use to sharpen your mind even further.

This can lead to reducing your alcohol intake, which is another great way to preserve your brain health over the long term. For example, I often leave little puzzles for my future self to solve in my notebooks.

This makes for a lot of intrigue that stimulates the brain over the years. Here are 5 Memory Palace examples that will improve your memory training practice quickly, even…. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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VSA refers to your ability to concentrate on a specific task while ignoring distractions. Study authors recommend future research to continue exploring how video games can help increase brain activity and boost concentration.

A review looked at studies examining how video games could affect cognitive function. The results suggest playing video games may lead to various changes in the brain, including increased attention and focus.

This review had several limitations, including the fact that the studies focused on widely varying topics, including video game addiction and possible effects of violent video games.

Studies specifically designed to explore benefits of video games could help support these findings. When does video game use become an addiction? Sleep deprivation can easily disrupt concentration, not to mention other cognitive functions, such as memory and attention. Occasional sleep deprivation may not cause too many problems for you.

Being too tired can even slow down your reflexes and affect your ability to drive or do other daily tasks.

A demanding schedule, health issues, and other factors sometimes make it difficult to get enough sleep. What are some healthy sleep habits? Increased concentration is among the many benefits of regular exercise. Exercise benefits everyone.

A study looking at fifth-graders found evidence to suggest daily physical activity could help improve both concentration and attention after just 4 weeks. Other research looking at older adults suggests a year of moderate aerobic physical activity can help stop or even reverse memory loss that occurs with brain atrophy related to age.

Experts recommend aerobic exercise, but doing what you can is better than doing nothing at all. Depending on your personal fitness and weight goals, you may want to exercise more or less.

Ask yourself:. If you can, try getting exercise right before you really need to focus or when taking a mental break.

How can exercise benefit your mental health? If you want to boost your concentration naturally, try to get outside every day, even for a short while.

You might take a short walk through a park. Sitting in your garden or backyard can also help. Any natural environment has benefits. According to the American Psychological Association APA , spending time in nature can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health.

Research from found evidence to suggest including plants in office spaces helped increase concentration and productivity, as well as workplace satisfaction and air quality.

Try adding a plant or two to your workspace or home for a range of positive benefits. Children benefit from natural environments, too. Research published in followed over 1, children from birth to age 7. The study hoped to determine how lifelong exposure to trees and greenery at home or in the neighborhood might affect attention in children.

The study suggests that natural environments could benefit brain development and may improve attention in children. For children with ADHD, research suggests spending time in nature can:. What are some more natural remedies for ADHD? Meditation and mindfulness practices can offer multiple benefits.

Improved concentration is only one of these. A review of 23 studies found evidence to suggest mindfulness training that emphasizes attention focus could help increase attention and focus.

Mindfulness can also improve memory and other cognitive abilities. Yoga , deep breathing, and many other activities can help you meditate. What are some other benefits of meditation? How can taking a break from work or homework increase your concentration?

This idea might seem counterintuitive, but experts say it really works. But your struggle to focus just makes you feel stressed and anxious about not completing your work in time.

Next time this happens, when you first feel your concentration drop, take a short mental break. Refresh yourself with a cool drink or nutritious snack, take a quick walk, or go outside and get some sun. Breaks can help boost these functions and more. What are some signs of burnout?

Turning on music while working or studying may help increase concentration, but this will depend on the individual. What are some more benefits of music? The foods you eat can affect cognitive functions like concentration and memory. To boost concentration, avoid processed foods, too much sugar, and very greasy or fatty foods.

You can find more brain foods on this list. Staying hydrated can also have a positive impact on concentration. Even mild dehydration can make it harder to focus or remember information.

Eating breakfast can help by boosting your focus first thing in the morning. Oatmeal, plain yogurt with fruit, or whole-grain toast with eggs are all good breakfast choices. Which foods can help if you have depression? If you feel your concentration starting to drop, consider a cup of coffee or green tea.

A study found evidence to suggest phytochemicals naturally found in matcha, a type of green tea, not only improve cognitive function but can help promote relaxation.

So matcha may be a good option if coffee makes you feel jittery or on edge. How does caffeine affect your body? Some supplements may help promote concentration and improve brain function.

However, there is not enough research to confirm that these supplements are effective or safe for everyone. Also, the Food and Drug Administration FDA does not regulate supplements.

This means you cannot be sure of the precise ingredients or how supplements will interact with other drugs. Always check with a doctor before trying any supplements, especially if you have any health conditions or allergies. Which supplements can help you focus better?

Concentration workouts often help children who have trouble focusing. This mental workout involves fully devoting attention to an activity for a set period of time.

After completing one of the activities, ask your child to write a short summary or sketch how they felt during the experience. Young children can simply use words to describe their feelings. Talking about where they lost concentration and how they managed to refocus can help them develop these skills for use in daily tasks.

Multitasking has become part of daily life. It seems a good way to get a lot done, but some scientists have questioned this. Studies have suggested that we are not as good at multitasking as we like to think we are.

For one thing, the brain is not designed to cope with doing two or more things at once. What we are actually doing is switching from one task to another.

If you have the chance to tackle one thing at a time, you might find you can concentrate better on each of them. Blocking off time for specific tasks can help you focus on one thing at a time and lower the risk of environmental distractions. Setting time limits can also help you channel your energy toward the task in hand because you know the time you can or need to spend on it is limited.

Researchers looking for ways to help people overcome these challenges have suggested the following tips :. The Marinara Timer, for example, encourages a person to work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four blocks of 25 minutes, the person will take a minute break.

This way, you can focus fully on a task for the allotted time and do something else in the breaks. These allow you to set a goal to not use your phone. If you use the phone too soon, the tree will die. Other apps allow you to set goals for specific sites each day, such as the news or social media.

Trouble concentrating can relate to things going on around you. Common causes include interruptions from co-workers, distractions from your roommates or family members, or social media notifications.

Some common ones include:. What is stopping me from focusing? Sometimes it takes a trained professional to notice these symptoms. Many adults living with untreated ADHD have trouble concentrating or focusing their attention for long periods of time.

A mental health professional can help diagnose this or any other condition and help you get started on treatment. Fortunately, learning how to optimize your brain function through nutrition can help you improve your mental sharpness.

If sugar is the worst ingredient for cognitive ability, healthy fats just might be the best. Incorporating these foods into your diet while reducing red meat even in small amounts can improve mental acuity , says Dr. The positive impacts of a Mediterranean diet were reinforced in another recent study, where it was combined with the heart disease diet called DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension to create the MIND diet.

The MIND diet recommends eating green leafy vegetables and nuts every day. It also advises eating beans, berries, whole grains, poultry, and fish in moderate quantities throughout the week.

While loading up on these brain-healthy foods, you should also limit red meat, pastries, fried foods, and dairy products.

Martha Clare Morris, who led research on the MIND diet, explains that vegetables are especially important for reducing cognitive decline. Regular exercise can make your body strong — but can it also strengthen your mind? The approach follows a similar model that pharmaceutical companies use when testing new prescription drugs.

Instead of popping pills, participants either hit the treadmill or work on stretching and flexibility. Other research proves that getting your mental gears turning is just as important as breaking a sweat.

Specifically, a Swedish research study on women shows that mental and physical exercises can help maintain mental acuity in midlife. Aside from physical exercises like walking, gardening, or playing sports, the study measured the impact of cognitive exercises like playing an instrument, attending a concert, socializing, or doing needlework.

These findings show that both your brain and your body need accurate exercise to maintain mental acuity and reduce age-related mental decline. Having a sharp mind is important for maintaining a high quality of life as we grow older. An increasingly large body of research shows that specific diets and targeted exercise habits can help reduce instances of cognitive decline.

Measuring your activity levels and revamping your diet could mean the difference between losing your independence and maintaining your freedom. When we can properly reason and remember, we can continue doing the things we enjoy with the people we love.

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