The brain and focus: What steals our attention, and how can we regain it?

Does your head feel like a buzzing beehive, are you jumping from one task to another, and can’t give any of them your full attention? You’re not alone. Staying focused is becoming increasingly difficult these days. In fact, focus is a skill we need to consciously protect and cultivate. So how can we take back control?

You can’t squeeze more out of an overloaded attention span

We often hear that we’re losing our ability to pay attention. But our brains aren’t less capable than they used to be. We simply live in an environment designed to constantly and aggressively distract us.

The modern digital world:

• forces us to constantly switch between stimuli,

• overloads the brain,

• rewards us with easily accessible doses of “cheap” dopamine.

Of course, screens, the internet, and social media aren’t the only things to blame. The offline world is also becoming faster and places higher demands on us. Many of us feel that we should be doing more, taking on more roles, constantly improving ourselves, and staying on top of everything. No wonder the brain starts to protest…

The 5 most common “thieves” of attention

1. Constant switching — multitasking

The brain cannot perform several demanding tasks at the same time. (Yes, really — not even the female brain.) In reality, it only switches rapidly between them. And every switch costs us energy. The result is lower productivity, more mistakes and mental fatigue.

For example, a 2025 meta-analysis shows that distractions from the digital environment significantly impair both concentration and reading comprehension. Answering emails during a meeting or watching videos while working is therefore not exactly the best idea.

2. Digital distractions and notifications

Every phone beep or new email alert steals at least a little of your attention for a moment. Frequent interruptions have been shown in research to increase mental load and make it harder to return to deep work. What’s more, the brain gradually adapts to short bursts of stimulation, and we then lose patience and determination for deeper focus.

But silent mode often isn’t enough. Our mind reacts simply to the fact that the phone is within reach — and it tends to keep fragmenting our attention, checking what’s new, or looking for a quick hit of easily available pleasure.

3. Fast dopamine rewards

Social media works on a simple, almost instinctive principle: quick dopamine — reward → craving another good feeling → more scrolling (which, however, no longer brings nearly as much joy).

In other words: With every message, notification, in-game success, or interesting post we spot on social media, the brain releases a large dose of dopamine — a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward. Thanks to neuroplasticity, our brain gets used to this very easily. And it wants more.

In the long run, this can lead to:

• a lower tolerance for “boredom”,

• a greater need for constant stimulation,

• a reduced ability to focus on more demanding tasks.

4. Lack of sleep

This is the absolute foundation. Without quality sleep and recovery, the brain — and therefore attention — will simply run at half capacity.

Sleep helps us process stress, stimulates creativity and problem-solving, and has a major impact on focus and learning. A lack of sleep, on the other hand, impairs attention, reduces working memory, slows reactions, and lowers our frustration tolerance — in other words, our ability to cope with things that irritate and stress us out.

5. Chronic stress

Stress increases cortisol levels — the stress hormone that keeps the whole body on alert so it can cope with danger or another demanding situation. That is perfectly normal and desirable. But after this “alarm,” stress hormone levels should drop again. With chronic stress, that doesn’t happen.

Persistently elevated cortisol then once again impairs focus, weakens memory, and increases mental restlessness.

We can’t control the environment, but we can control our habits

The problem is therefore often not brain capacity or weak willpower, but the environment and our habits. One possible solution would be to completely disconnect from technology and move to a cabin deep in the woods. But for most of us, that isn’t realistic. So we need to learn how to move through this digital jungle.

How to focus better

1. Minimize distractions

Turn off notifications and ideally keep your phone out of reach. If you need it for work, at least try to block the distractions you’re most sensitive to — typically social media. You can try one of the apps that block social networks during certain times of the day.

Even a completely undisturbed brain, however, cannot stay focused nonstop. Work therefore in blocks — for example, 60–90 minutes — and then take a short break. Stretch your body and let your mind rest.

2. Train your attention

Just like muscles, attention can be trained. The best activities for this are those that fully absorb you and naturally direct your focus in just one direction. However, don’t leave it to chance — deliberately seek out opportunities for longer periods of concentration as well. Continuous reading or writing is ideal — whether your own thoughts, letters, stories, and so on.

3. Give your brain some “boredom”

Training cannot happen without recovery. So regularly give yourself moments when you ask nothing of your brain. Look out at greenery, go for a walk without music or a podcast in your ears, or enjoy any form of relaxation.

4. Work with your energy

Focus isn’t just about discipline — it’s also about biology. Better mental condition is supported by the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle:

• Quality sleep — the brain simply needs rest in order to perform well.

• Stable blood sugar levels — an unbalanced diet and irregular eating can lead to fluctuations in blood glucose, which may also affect energy levels and the ability to concentrate.

• Regular movement — physical activity benefits both body and brain health. It improves blood flow to the brain and supports neuroplasticity.

5. Support the brain with the right nutrients

Avoid too much coffee and energy drinks — while they may give you a temporary boost, the energy gained quickly also fades quickly. For this purpose, green tea — especially Japanese matcha tea — may be a better option, as it contains stimulants with a more gradual onset.

To reduce cravings for “screen-based” dopamine, increase your intake of foods rich in the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine, which the body uses to produce dopamine. These include high-quality chocolate, milk, eggs, and pumpkin and sesame seeds.

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Did you know…

…that proper nervous system function, energy levels, and the ability to focus also depend on the availability of key nutrients?

It is useful to focus, for example, on:

• vitamins B6, B9, and B12, which contribute to the reduction of fatigue. Vitamin B6 can be found in bananas, potatoes, or poultry; B9 in legumes and leafy greens; while B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products such as meat, liver, eggs, and milk.

• phospholipids — phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine — which are part of neuronal cell membranes. Their richest sources include egg yolks, organ meats, soy, and other legumes.

• uridine and L-taurine. They are involved in proper neurotransmission — the transfer of information between nerve cells. Taurine occurs naturally in meat and seafood, while uridine can be found, for example, in yeast, beer, or broccoli.

You can also find a balanced combination of these substances in the MindBoost supplement, designed to support focus, mental energy, and cognitive function — especially during periods of increased mental strain.

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What should you take away from this?

We haven’t lost the ability to focus, but we live in a time and environment that systematically breaks our attention apart. That means we need to adapt to these new conditions — by consciously limiting distractions, changing our habits, and intentionally supporting our brain.

And because a comprehensive approach usually brings comprehensive results, we may very well improve not only our focus, but also our performance, quality of work, and overall quality of life.

Sources:

• https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1671214

• https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.06478

• https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.10025

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28651658/

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35359912/

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373513718_Effect_of_Oral_Nutrition_Supplementation_ONS_contains_phosphatidylserine_choline_and_uridine_on_cognitive_function_and_quantitative_electroencephalography_in_elderly_patients_with_mild_and_moderate_de