Difficulty Concentrating

Our lives have become very hectic these days. We are continuously trying to balance our various commitments in life - our family, our work, our friends and many others. In the middle of all these, somewhere we tend to lose touch with ourselves. We take care of the people around us, but fail to do the same for us, and thus, end up feeling stressed. When a person is stressed or is under a lot of workload, he experiences various mental and physical problems. Difficulty concentrating and remembering things is one of them. Besides being stressed and under a lot of pressure at work, there are some other reasons too, which may make a person unable to concentrate at the task at hand. Below are the main causes, followed by some tips to overcome the same.

Causes

• As mentioned above, the main cause is stress and anxiety. If a person has difficulty concentrating at work, the reason could be that he is overloaded with work or is not able to manage his work properly, resulting in stress.
• Undertaking certain medication can make it difficult for the person to concentrate.
• Certain psychological reasons such as daydreaming, facing intimidation, being fearful or feeling guilty, can be the other causes in some people.
• Taking drugs, or drinking alcohol in excess can cause this problem too.
• A mental health condition, known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), is the number one cause behind this problem, in children. This is a biological condition, and is caused due to the difference in the structure and function of the brain of children, when compared to other normal children.
• Certain environmental factors, such as noise, pollution, sudden rise and fall in temperature, can cause difficulties in concentration in people.
• A person who is feeling hungry or exhausted might find it difficult to concentrate for a while.
• Relationship problems, either with one's spouse, neighbors, family, friend or colleagues, can make a person unable to concentrate on his work.
• Change in one's dietary habits, such as, suddenly giving up caffeine, can produce this problem, as the withdrawal symptom.
• Lack of sleep or a disturbed sleep.
• Unable to concentrate while reading could be due to Irlen Syndrome. Both children and adults may suffer from it. In this condition, people are unable to see the printed page the same way as normal people do. They are not able to read words or letters together, and thus cannot identify words. This causes fatigue, discomfort and concentrating difficulty in them.

Tips to Improve Concentration

In order to improve one's concentration, the first thing that a person should do, is to determine the reason why he is experiencing it. Trying to eliminate that reason along with a few lifestyle changes, is the key to bettering one's concentration.

Lifestyle Changes
People who face this problem, need to make a few lifestyle changes, such as giving up or reducing the intake of alcohol, sugar and caffeine. Eating a healthy diet, which is rich in nutrients such as omega 3 and omega 6, considered to be very brain friendly, helps to improve concentration. Sleeping for eight hours every night, doing yoga, meditation and following breathing techniques, to reduce stress and anxiety, helps a person to concentrate better. Doing brain exercises, such as solving puzzles, helps too.

Consult a Doctor
If difficulty in concentrating is due to some drug or medicine that a person is taking, asking the doctor to replace it with some other, can improve concentration. Attention deficit disorder, Irlen syndrome or any other medical condition cannot be treated at home, hence doctor should be contacted immediately for the same. If stress or depression is getting out of hand with symptoms such as sweating, mood swings, feeling of sadness, continuing for over a fortnight, it is advisable to seek therapy.

In most cases, unless and until a health condition is behind it, this condition can be improved by managing one's time properly. Setting realistic goals, doing one thing at a time, giving oneself time, importance and care, are some of the other things that contribute to a person's well-being and happiness.