If you want to improve your ability to concentrate, you should allow your brain regular periods of regeneration. The brain needs breaks in order to sort and process impressions. And it is often during rest periods that the brain really comes into its own. It’s not uncommon for the brilliant idea to come while taking a shower, going for a walk, or doing some other activity. If you concentrate too much on one thing, you often block your creativity.
An effective mix is therefore a mixture of concentrated work and relaxation, and this is also important at night. The brain needs sufficient sleep to remain efficient, because lack of sleep disturbs concentration. The brain is more receptive when people are balanced, and anyone who allows their brain breaks, such as during meditation or yoga, supports their ability to concentrate and remember. This stimulus break relieves the working memory in the head and brings back new energy. The brain then has capacity for new impressions again. With the help of meditation and other relaxation techniques, one can also learn to better deal with stressful situations and generally become more relaxed.
It is often private worries and problems that rob concentration, because the brain always focuses on emotional influences. An argument with the partner in the morning can take away the concentration for the whole day, because the emotional focus is on the stressful situation. Emotions always have a stronger effect on the brain than purely factual information. Another concentration killer is lack of exercise, because after some time at the desk you become restless, unfocused and irritable. In addition to boredom and listlessness, stress is a significant factor.
The less people move, the more susceptible the body becomes to stress. Stress that is perceived in a particularly negative way produces a cocktail of different stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. In such a stressful situation, it is not uncommon for concentration to wane and things to be forgotten. Exercise is a good way to reduce stress hormones, oxygenate the brain, have a break from thinking, and gather energy for the next period of concentration. In the midday slump, a walk can help, and after work, a bike ride home can relax the body and brain. Especially in stressful phases, exercise is a valuable tool to counteract stress and create a balance. But even in normal everyday life, exercise helps to improve the brain’s ability to absorb and concentrate.