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No Matter How Old You Are, This Mindfulness Exercise Can Sharpen Your Attention

Learn how in as little as 10 minutes, meditation can boost focus.

ByJenny Lehmann
(Image Credit: Microgen/Shutterstock) Microgen/Shutterstock

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How is your attention span these days? Environmental distractions and rising use of technology can heavily affect our ability to hold focus, as can lack of rest, general stress, and anxiety.

Since longer attention spans are linked to better overall well-being, finding ways to sharpen our focus is increasingly important in today’s tech-heavy world.

Researchers from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology were especially interested in whether mindfulness could enhance attention spans in older adults, but they discovered something even better: Just 30 days of guided meditation significantly improved people’s ability to direct their attention, no matter how old the participants were.

Their findings, published in eNeuro, show how a simple, low-cost practice like meditation can have a notable impact on cognition.

Our lives are already packed with distractions, but as we age, tuning out interruptions becomes even more challenging, making it harder to sustain attention. One area in ...

  • Jenny Lehmann

    Having worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition – into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When she’s not immersed in a popular science book, you’ll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.

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