Recent Blog Articles
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How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15545/conversions/gettyimages-2148232520-micro.jpg)
Protect your skin during heat waves — here's how
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/13229/conversions/125534d8-67fc-45bb-96b0-d7a413ecc7e3-micro.jpg)
Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15514/conversions/gettyimages-1307510221-micro.jpg)
Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try
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A fresh look at risks for developing young-onset dementia
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15508/conversions/d28fc67f-70d6-47c4-b157-a20deee38d6a-micro.jpg)
Are you getting health care you don't need?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15497/conversions/3d92a036-7b55-496b-b1d8-7232f86b43fc-micro.jpg)
Weighing in on weight gain from antidepressants
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Dengue fever: What to know and do
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How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
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Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
Concentration & Focus Archive
Articles
Does sleeping with an eye mask improve learning and alertness?
Our internal clocks regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and light establishes when we should feel wakeful or sleepy. Light exposure at night affects these natural processes, so researchers studied whether wearing an eye mask while sleeping might help learning and alertness.
"Unsticking" sticky thoughts
It's hard to get rid of sticky thoughts, which play repeatedly in the mind and cause distress. Strategies that can help include going for a walk, staying busy by scheduling activities, limiting worry time to one specific period of each day, and talking to family and friends. If sticky thoughts don't go away after a few weeks, it might be time to talk to a primary care doctor or a therapist. Treatment might involve cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps someone recognize sticky thoughts and redirect them in ways that are less negative and more manageable.
Slowing down racing thoughts
Everyone has moments when their brain feels like it's gone haywire. When these racing thoughts take over the mind can't stay focused, feeding into a cycle of anxiety. But there are things you can do to break this cycle and regain control.
Taking it slow
While an active life is a healthier one, there are times when people can benefit from embracing a slower pace, an approach commonly known as "slow living." Slow living isn't about doing less, but doing more with greater focus and purpose and at the right speed. The approach can help people lower stress, increase concentration and memory, and become more engaged in activities they enjoy.
The art of monotasking
Science has shown that when people multitask, they become more easily distracted and less productive, score lower on tests for recalling information, and make more errors. Older adults especially struggle with multitasking because aging brains have more trouble blocking distractions. The solution is to monotask by focusing on only one job until it's completed. Methods for monotasking include prioritizing tasks, blocking distractions, and working in intervals.
Summertime blues?
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is less common in summer, but a seasonal pattern of depressive symptoms can occur despite exposure to many hours of daylight. Many summertime SAD symptoms resemble overall depression markers, but eating and sleeping patterns can deviate. People can combat summertime SAD by sticking with antidepressants and psychotherapy, maintaining routines, exercising, and taking a break from social media.
Finding your focus
The brain has an enormous power to learn, remember, and solve problems. Yet, like any aging body part, it can gradually slow, and people may find it harder to concentrate and stay focused. Following certain strategies can help prepare the brain for situations that require a high level of focus and improve overall brain health.
Recent Blog Articles
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15179/conversions/9c2ee9da-d6d9-4ab3-81fa-4e2f021c4b74-micro.jpg)
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15545/conversions/gettyimages-2148232520-micro.jpg)
Protect your skin during heat waves — here's how
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/13229/conversions/125534d8-67fc-45bb-96b0-d7a413ecc7e3-micro.jpg)
Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15514/conversions/gettyimages-1307510221-micro.jpg)
Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14741/conversions/9fec5c5b-998b-48a5-b669-eeb45b8736f0-micro.jpg)
A fresh look at risks for developing young-onset dementia
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15508/conversions/d28fc67f-70d6-47c4-b157-a20deee38d6a-micro.jpg)
Are you getting health care you don't need?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15497/conversions/3d92a036-7b55-496b-b1d8-7232f86b43fc-micro.jpg)
Weighing in on weight gain from antidepressants
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15490/conversions/a44ac592-b730-46c0-9e2a-0a4f1dc7b501-micro.jpg)
Dengue fever: What to know and do
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15125/conversions/0bdfa2e1-9764-44f4-ae30-e4f9716e98f2-micro.jpg)
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15477/conversions/59f61b05-2e23-463a-a0f7-b8aef6addd73-micro.jpg)
Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
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