Research from 2014 that looked at 2,832 older adults followed up on participants after 10 years. The effects of brain training games may be particularly important for older adults, since memory and concentration often tend to decline with age. Older children may enjoy more detailed coloring pages, like those found in adult coloring books. Invest in a book of word puzzles, complete a jigsaw puzzle together, or play a game of memory.Įven coloring can help improve concentration in children or adults. Kidsīrain training can work for kids, too. Try:Ī 2015 study of 4,715 adults suggests that spending 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, on brain training activities can improve concentration.īrain training games can also help develop your working and short-term memory, as well as your processing and problem-solving skills. Playing certain types of games can help you get better at concentrating. We’ll also go over some conditions that can affect concentration and steps to take if trying to increase concentration on your own just doesn’t seem to help. If that sounds familiar, keep reading to learn more about research-backed methods to help improve your concentration. This can lead to stress and irritation, which tends to make focusing on what you need to do even more of a distant dream.

It’s easy to become frustrated when you’re trying to concentrate but just can’t. Head or brain injuries, such as concussion, as well as certain mental health conditions can also affect concentration. Most people forget things more readily as they age, and decreased concentration can accompany memory loss. Age and lack of sleep can affect concentration. Some people just have a harder time tuning out distractions.

Factors that affect concentrationīoth attention span and concentration can vary for a number of reasons. It’s sometimes confused with attention span, but attention span refers to the length of time you can concentrate on something. If you’ve ever found it difficult to get through a challenging task at work, studied for an important exam, or spent time on a finicky project, you might have wished you could increase your ability to concentrate.Ĭoncentration refers to the mental effort you direct toward whatever you’re working on or learning at the moment.

Training to avoid distractions