Stay Healthy

With many technological advances, our attention span has decreased drastically from what it used to be. We spend significantly more time glued to our screens and have an increased amount of stimuli from the environment. This results in our focus constantly shifting.  

Your memory capacity on the other hand is limitless. The human brain has the ability to store more than 1 quadrillion pieces of data. This is only the average amount of data being recorded throughout our lives and 99% of the information from our environment gets discarded.

Here are some ways in which you can improve your memory and attention:

• Exercise:

Regular exercise helps supply oxygen to the brain which can help reduce the risk of memory loss and other related problems.

• Getting enough sleep:

It is said that the average adult needs 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Even one hour less can reduce problem solving skills, memory and creativity.

• Laughing:

The phrase “laughter is the best medicine” doesn’t only hold true for physical ailments but also helps in improving memory. It helps people think more broadly and connect ideas more freely.

• The power of music:

Numerous studies show that listening to music without lyrics helps increase your ability to focus. Music has proven to be very calming and soothing for people. This very quality is what helps boost your concentration and focus.

• Identifying stressors:

Stressors act as a magnet and pulls away our concentration. A way to rectify this is to “clean up” your mind. Get rid of all the stressors by taking a few deep breaths before you start your work. This will help you concentrate and focus on your desired task for longer periods of time.

• Test your attention span:

Cut out newspaper articles with three paragraphs. Cross out the any one vowel in the article.

• If you have skipped letters in the first paragraph – attention span dips at the beginning.

• If you skip letters in the second paragraph (and not in first or third) – attention is lost halfway and returns slowly.

• If you skip letters in the second paragraph and in the third – you have a short attention span and other activities along with this must be conducted regularly to increase it.

• If you skip letters in the third paragraph – attention span decreases towards the end.

This activity can be done often to check improvement in attention span.