Improving memory and concentration skills?

March 23, 2005 9:08 AM

I'm only 30, yet I find that my memory, concentration, and ability to focus ("tunnel vision") aren't near as sharp as they were five or ten years ago. What do you do to retain or improve your mental abilities as you get older?

I'm currently trying to use the "Getting Things Done" system to improve my organization, and looking at various mnemonic systems to help with my memory, but what I'd really like to get back is my ability to intensely focus on a task. Any suggestions?

posted by mrbill to health & fitness (27 comments total)

Same age range, same problem. I'm finding more and more that sleep is the answer: after years (maybe decades) of being able to get by on around 5-6 hours I find that I need a bare minimum of seven to hope to function at the level you describe. In fact I probably need to be aiming for eight, maybe even nine!
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 9:17 AM on March 23, 2005

I had the same feeling in college as compared to high school, and (similar to PST above) found that sleep was the answer, college having been a 4-year sleep deprivation experiment. It took about six months before my reading speed was back to high school levels.

The actual amount of sleep is way down, though, which is a natural effect of aging.
posted by Aknaton at 9:30 AM on March 23, 2005

As I assume you're a man, Mr. Bill :), I would suggest that you go get a physical--with a good doctor who actually listens. It may be that PinkStainless is right and you just need more sleep; or perhaps you need more exercise; or maybe you just need better eating habits. But it may also be that you are exhibiting subtle signs of an illness.

I had some mild pain, exhaustion, trouble concentrating, etc., and didn't 'listen' to my body enough to pay attention to the fact that these were symptoms of, it turns out, cancer. I am not trying to be alarmist and am not suggesting you have cancer, but something could be going on that your doctor could recognize.
posted by sally_jp at 9:33 AM on March 23, 2005

I'm 36. I've found my mental acuity is top-notch when I'm more physically active. Sleep, eating good things (no junk food), reading books daily, and programming has kept me just the same as when I was 26. I noticed that right when we had our baby over a year ago, I went downhill a bit and I blame losing some of the above activities, but now that the baby is older I'm getting back where I was.
posted by rolypolyman at 9:35 AM on March 23, 2005 [1 favorite]

I get plenty of sleep - was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea four years ago, put on CPAP, and it has been very successful without having to resort to surgery (turns out I've got scar tissue in my trachea directly below my vocal cords; not something I want to get operated on without doing a lot of contemplating beforehand).
posted by mrbill at 9:39 AM on March 23, 2005

i had the same problem. i discovered--for me at least--it correlated completely with the loss of all the things that brought on that sort of concentration when i was younger: namely school and the general exploration of What I Wanted to Be When I Grew Up. having become WIWBWIGU, i was easily distracted away from being it.

sleep, exercise, diet and regular companionship help considerably, but what keeps me most able to focus on the work/task at hand is participating school-like activities in my spare time: reading philosophy, history texts, taking classes.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:40 AM on March 23, 2005

There was an interesting article in Salon this week about a writer using crystal meth to achieve that sort of focus, but that's probably not the answer you're looking for.
posted by matildaben at 9:44 AM on March 23, 2005

the only problem i've found is with drink and tiredness. i don't drink lunchtimes if i want to be smart in the afternoon, and i re-arranged my life so that i wasn't either working or recovering from work all the time (i work long 8 day shifts, then have 6 off, 2 of which are zombified and 4 of which i can focus just fine).
posted by andrew cooke at 9:59 AM on March 23, 2005

A lot seems to point to people who keep mental acuity are people who use their brains. Obviously there's the question of whether that's because the people whose mental acuity persists are the ones using their brains but... what's the downside to using your brain anyway?

Supposedly people who kept their wits as they got older were the ones who did mental activities like crossword puzzles, read challenging materials, wrote, etc. Maybe you just need some mental exercise as well as physical.
posted by phearlez at 10:13 AM on March 23, 2005

I feel the same way and am convinced it's because I'm exercising so much less than I used to. Recently I've been trying to pick up my exercise regimen but no firm results yet.
posted by jacobsee at 10:17 AM on March 23, 2005

Look into nootropics like pramiracetam and hydergine. At the least, they're generally non-toxic. Anecdotally, they seem to be hit or miss. Studies that I've come across, have mostly been conducted with elderly subjects so no word on efficacy among younger folks. The benefits are gradually visible after a certain period; it's not like popping a speed pill.
posted by Gyan at 10:19 AM on March 23, 2005

"I find that my memory, concentration, and ability to focus ("tunnel vision") aren't near as sharp"

These are also symptoms of heart disease. When was your last physical? You're 30? Yeah, you're old enough, on the young side, but still old enough.

I am 46 and disabled due to heart disease. After my second heart attack, my ability to concentrate
posted by mischief at 10:19 AM on March 23, 2005

If your memory and concentration continue to decline sharply (like, over the next year, not the next five years), consider having yourself checked out for sleep apnea. You may be sleeping for seven hours, but sleep apnea is keeping you from getting into deep-cycle, restful sleep. The cumulative effect can cause problems like you're describing. (And it's easily treated, nothing scary.)
posted by BoringPostcards at 10:31 AM on March 23, 2005

I'm 36 and my concentration is better than it was in high school. The difference is I'm usually doing something I give a damn about. When I'm doing mundane tasks my concentration drops. Are you interested in what you're doing? Maybe after a decade doing it you're just bored? I get about 4-5 hours of sleep a night.
posted by substrate at 10:42 AM on March 23, 2005

mischief ;o)
posted by andrew cooke at 11:21 AM on March 23, 2005

hopefully mischief just didnt have their THIRD heard attack mid-answer :)
posted by mrbill at 11:26 AM on March 23, 2005

Substrate makes a good point. In my mid-40's I am probably less "sharp" if what you mean by sharp is full-attention stamina. But then, I look back on earlier years and realize that I was wasting a lot of mental energy on stuff that I now ignore. Conjecture aside, if what you want is full blown "tunnel vision" then matildaben's advice can't be beat, crystal meth is great for that. A few cups of coffee may be just as effective. My favorite caffeine concoction when I needed to focus on my physics homework was cup after cup of a smoky-flavored tea known by the name "russian caravan."
posted by telstar at 11:28 AM on March 23, 2005

BoringPostcards: see my entry above. Went on CPAP for OSA four years ago, and it has been wonderful. I'm getting plenty of REM sleep now. The effect of it was best described as "someone turned up the contrast and brightness knobs on life".
posted by mrbill at 11:29 AM on March 23, 2005

Try meditation.......its all about concentration....lots of books on the topic....
posted by ataraxian at 12:03 PM on March 23, 2005

Hmmmm... interesting reading. Workmates tease me that I have adult ADD (Look at the bird! Look at the bird!) but I think more sleep would do me a world of good. Trouble is, I forget all about that good advice every night!
posted by galto at 12:20 PM on March 23, 2005

I have the same issue, but I blame the internet.

I mean, I'm sure my aging brain is partly responsible for my generally getting stupider over the years :), but I think my level of distraction is at least partly the fault of living in a world where so many distractions are so immediately available. When I was younger, there were long periods of time where there simply seemed to be nothing to do, so getting caught up in some project or other was actually plausible. In the modern world, there are unlimited shows on cable (I recently gave up my TV to escape ths), and news, discussion, music/games/movies & other downloads online (can't give this up. but have to learn to discipline myself). It's hard to find clear time to really allow yourself to get focused.

I'd recommend turning off all the machines/connections, and relaxing into a project with a certain amount of time mapped out to be devoted to it.

okay, now I gotta sign off & get to work!
posted by mdn at 12:49 PM on March 23, 2005

I'm 60 and my mental acuity is fine...now what was the question?

Seriously, everything that I have read suggests that the brain is like any other organ or muscle, you have to use it or lose it.
posted by leafwoman at 6:18 PM on March 23, 2005

I've found one thing that helped me, in addition to the excellent answers above regarding sleep, was adding Ginkgo Biloba to my daily intake of vitamins.

There is anecdotal evidence that Ginkgo improves your memory, and even some scientific research backing up claims that it helps people suffering from Alzheimer's. I take it every day, and even if it's only a placebo, I feel it helps me focus and concentrate. (FWIW, people around me have remarked on a change over a period of six weeks or so).

Another thing you may want to do is just start writing things down in a central location. The act of writing, even if you don't need to refer to it, will help you concentrate.
posted by jeremias at 6:37 PM on March 23, 2005

I'm 28, and a few years ago i started becoming somewhat distressed about the fact that I felt like I was developing 82-year-old style mental degeneration. I would start telling a story, and halfway through i'd forget what the hell i was talking about; i remembered only the vague points of theories or ideas I could defend with vigour only a few years before. I had horrible sleep habits, and I didn't get enough exercise.

Now, i feel like my brain is getting back to where it used to be, I can impress people with my wit and ability to think analytically. I still have horrible sleep and exercise habits, but what has changed? I now have a job that mentally challenges me, that forces me to use my brain all the time, everyday, and to express to others what my brain is doing. I simply wasn't forcing myself to do that before, and so it just stopped doing it, all the time.

So: get a more intellectually challenging job, take a course, start reading some more challenging books, etc etc. Force yourself to think HARD and eventually it'll seem easy.
posted by Kololo at 12:48 AM on March 24, 2005 [1 favorite]

To echo everyone else, as you leave your 20s behind, you start needing more sleep. I myself find myself trying not to nod off after lunch, unless I've been playing football in my lunchbreak.
posted by salmacis at 3:04 AM on March 24, 2005

A huge benefit of doing YOGA is that it "quiets the mind", and gives you the ability to focus on things that you deem necessary. you just have to practice, practice, practice. Yoga is a huge help to sharpen your mental acumen.
posted by Maishe at 7:02 PM on March 25, 2005

I'm 27 and was diagnosed with apnea last year. I've been on CPAP for about seven months and it has definitely made a difference in my energy. I seem to experience breathing difficulties due to the blockage all day, however, and I'm considering pursuing surgery. Since it's been mentioned twice, I was wondering if anyone has any commentary about surgery for apnea instead of CPAP.
posted by VulcanMike at 9:33 AM on April 7, 2005