Concentration is a key skill in our daily lives, influencing how we learn, work, and perform important tasks. Without concentration, errors follow one another and the execution time multiplies.
Recent studies have sought to determine at what point in our lives we reach the higher level of care and mental efficiency, a fact that may be very surprising to those who believe that young people are the most concentrated by nature.
This information is also important to know what happens after that stage and how we can maintain or improve our ability to concentrate with appropriate exercises and habits.
The zenith of concentration
A meta-analysis A comprehensive study of 139 studies conducted by researchers from different departments at Hangzhou Normal University found that you can never be as focused as you are between the ages of 27 and 36.
According to researchers, attention and memory capacity draws a Gaussian bell marking its peak between 27 and 36 years of age. During this age group, the brain achieves its greatest efficiency in sustained attention and executive skills, surpassing even those of young people as young as 20.
From the age of 36, cognitive abilities related to concentration begin to deteriorate little by little, affecting processing speed and working memory.
This decline is natural, but progressive, which does not imply that this capacity is lost drastically in a short period of time, the brain simply needs more care and strategies to maintain its optimal performance over time.
Train body and mind
Although concentration declines as maturity is reached, studies carried out at the Autonomous University of Madrid have revealed physical changes in the cerebral cortex after a cognitive training program based on memory and attention tests.
The participants showed an increase in cortical thickness in regions linked to concentration control, suggesting that, with adapted exercises, the brain can develop and strengthen these abilities at any age.
Maintain a mental exercise routinepromoting mindfulness and controlling distractions are key to prolonging states of concentration. Constant practice of tasks that require attention and organization techniques They are tools that help keep the brain active and alert.
Furthermore, there is scientific evidence about the impact of regular physical exercise in cognitive processes, including attention and concentration, thanks to the increase in cerebral blood flow and the activation of brain regions involved in these functions. The scientific literature agrees that moderate physical activity and enriched environments promote neurogenesis and improve concentration markers.
Habits that improve concentration
To strengthen concentration and prevent the brain from wandering easily, it is essential to train the mind with specific exercises and adopt effective habits. According the statements By Estanislao Bachrach, a molecular biologist specialized in the relationship between the brain and human behavior, one of the most recommended exercises is daily meditation, which helps reduce stress and improve memory.
The excess of distracting elements, such as cell phones or environmental noise, makes it difficult to achieve a state of attention and concentration sustained over time. multitasking He’s not a great ally either. to maintain focus, since with each task change the brain must relocate to the new task, something that takes it out of this “flow” state which Mihály Csíkszentmihályi talked about in his book ‘Flow‘.
Finally, motivation plays a crucial role: when a task does not interest us or we feel anxious, nervous or overwhelmed, concentrating becomes more difficult.
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Image | Unsplash (Jonathan Borba)
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