Maintaining Concentration

Focus and concentration occur in the prefrontal cortex of your brain. This is where the high-order processing is done. The prefrontal cortex also controls the release of neurotransmitters, hormones, and other chemicals.

Dopamine is one of the “other chemicals” your prefrontal cortex controls. Dopamine affects behavior and cognition as well as motivation, attention and learning. It has been found that this “pleasure chemical” gives you a good feeling when the levels rise. It drives you to concentrate and motivates you to continue with your goal. As your dopamine levels drop, you lose concentration and begin to look for an alternative distraction.

Other factors also influence your level of concentration. Factors like stress, fatigue, anger, email and television can inhibit concentration. The major factors inhibiting concentration are lack of sleep, stress and anger. Inadequate sleep causes a deprivation of oxygen, which limits the release of neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex (dopamine and adrenaline). Stress and anger cause the release neurotransmitters norepinephrine and cortisol. This causes you to hyperfocus and inhibits concentration.

Researchers have found several methods to increase concentration span:

1. Sleep: getting a full night’s sleep will “reset” your brain and allows you to concentrate.
2. Snack: having a snack and a glass of water helps aid focus. It hydrates you and keeps your blood levels even.
3. Use more than one sense: using two of your senses sharpens concentration. For example, reading aloud may help you concentrate on the book you’re reading.
4. Start moving: aerobic exercise has been proven to increase concentration by activating dopamine in the brain.
5. Think about Happy Things: happiness reduces stress hormones that can impede concentration.