Dear Doctor,

I am unable to pay attention for more than three minutes even when matters being discussed are important. What causes this short attention span and how can one overcome it?

Sharon

Dear Sharon,

How long you have been experiencing this? Is it episodic or consistently present; does it affect the quality of your work? These questions are vital in knowing the severity of short attention span.

As such the attention span of individuals is highly variable, depending on mental makeup, conditioning of mind or task at hand, among others. Average attention span in adults is said to vary between 5-20 minutes; after that one has to refocus on the task being done. But many factors can affect it. Most common causes of inattention are increased load of work and mental stress. When the mind is preoccupied with multiple tasks waiting to be finished, it may be difficult to focus on work at hand. Problems at home or workplace may also distract one’s mind from what is being done or discussed in front. If the work is pleasurable, one does it with great interest and focus.

On doing something which one does not like, it becomes difficult to concentrate.

Loud noise, electronic beeps as from mobiles and computers, hunger, lack of sleep, fatigue, are some of the sources of distraction for an individual. Constipation, over eating and eating a lot of fatty food may make a person feel somnolent and distract his mind from work at hand.

Studies claim that due to electronic devices, attention span of human beings has reduced much and inattention and cognitive disturbances are starting as early as second decade of life. For example, an individual would remain more focused while reading a book. But when he is on internet, he she jumps from one thing to another, barely focusing on one page.

Depression, anxiety and psychosis are other conditions which may cause loss of attention. Among pathological conditions, low blood sugar, electrolyte imbalance, infections of brain, liver and kidney disorders are conditions which affect attention span. But these may be associated with other overlying features of the disease.

It is vital to be physically and mentally relaxed while starting any work in the day. Breakfast should never be skipped because it supplies glucose which is vital for functioning of brain cells. Drinking adequate amount of water keeps body well hydrated and fresh. Deep breathing, when mind starts getting distracted, helps one to refocus. Try to read at least 2 -4 pages of any book with due attention. Counting mentally also helps in improving focus. There are video games which claim to help one to increase mental concentration, but their efficacy is controversial. Regular meditation is very useful in this regard.

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital