Finding it difficult to focus after the winter break? We all go through periods where we find it difficult to maintain concentration levels, especially coming back after the festive season. In this blog we discuss ways to get back on track after the holidays, banish brain fog and boost concentration levels.
Sleep
We all know how important sleep is for our health, and can notice the difference when we do not get our full eight hours, so imagine how much of an impact this can have on our concentration levels. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can make it difficult for us to focus and pay attention, reducing our ability to perform tasks and solve problems.
To prevent this, it is recommended for adults to get 7-9 hours of unbroken sleep every night. Going to bed at the same time every night, in a dark room and avoiding screens for two hours before bed can help increase how restful we sleep. Getting up every morning at the same time is also important, as is exposure to day light first thing and of course, reducing caffeine intake can drastically help to improve our quality of sleep every night.
Nutrition
Our food and eating habits can hugely impact our concentration, focus and energy levels. Most importantly, preventing dramatic blood sugar highs and lows throughout the day can have huge benefits for our overall health. This can be done by:
- Consuming regular meals throughout the day, for example, 3 meals and 2 snacks to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
- Consuming a source of fibre with every meal or snack, e.g., wholemeal bread, vegetable slices and hummus, a handful of nuts as a snack or swapping refined starches like white pasta for wholegrains like quinoa. Fibre helps to stimulate digestion, but can also slow the absorption rate of nutrients such as glucose, helping to stabilise blood sugar levels.
- Consuming a source of protein in each meal such as eggs, nuts, beans, lentils, lean meat and seeds. Protein is a complex nutrient and can help to slow digestion, prevent post-meal blood sugar spikes and can also prevent over eating.
Additional Support
Despite our best efforts, sometimes we may need an additional boost to help us focus and concentrate. While many people turn to caffeine, this can often leave us with caffeine crashes and feeling anxious.
Korean Ginseng is a natural plant that grows in East Asia and has a long history of use as an energising tonic. Korean ginseng is composed of ‘Ginsenosides’, which have shown to be beneficial in increasing energy levels, concentration and focus. Studies have found that supplementing with ‘Panax Ginseng’ daily for four weeks can be beneficial for mood, social functioning and mental health.
Sona Korean Ginseng contains a concentrated extract of aged Panax Ginseng root, which can help to boost energy levels, improve concentration and focus. It contains a minimum of 30% ginsenosides in addition to 3.4mg of vitamin B6 which work hand in hand to help boost energy levels and reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue.
References
Bao, L., Cai, X., Wang, J., Zhang, Y., Sun, B. and Li, Y., 2016. Anti-fatigue effects of small molecule oligopeptides isolated from Panax ginseng CA Meyer in mice. Nutrients, 8(12), p.807.
Geng, J., Dong, J., Ni, H., Lee, M.S., Wu, T., Jiang, K., Wang, G., Zhou, A.L. and Malouf, R., 2010. Ginseng for cognition. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (12).
Park, B.G., Jung, H.J., Cho, Y.W., Lim, H.W. and Lim, C.J., 2013. Potentiation of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of cultured wild ginseng root extract through probiotic fermentation. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 65(3), pp.457-464.