Focus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration

Improving Focus and Concentration

• Focus and concentration are essential for mental health, physical health, and performance
• This episode provides various tools to improve focus and concentration, including:
• Behavioral tools
• Nutrition-​​based tools
• Supplement-​​based tools
• Brain-​​machine interface-​​based tools
• Prescription drug tools (for those working with a physician)

Meditation for Focus and Concentration

• Dr. Wendy Suzuki’s study found that a 13-​​minute daily meditation for 8 weeks significantly increased focus and concentration
• Benefits can be seen even before the full 8 weeks
• A shorter alternative meditation protocol can be used if time is limited (3–5 minutes)
• Important note: do not perform focus-​​based meditation within 4 hours before bedtime, as it may cause difficulties in falling and staying asleep

Supplements and Nootropics

• Momentous Supplements provide high-​​quality, single-​​ingredient supplements for optimizing focus and concentration
• Thesis Nootropics offer customized nootropic formulas based on individual needs and goals
• Use code “Huberman” at checkout for 10% off the first box

Electrolytes and Cellular Function

• Element provides an electrolyte drink with sodium, potassium, and magnesium, essential for nerve cell function
• Visit drinkelement​.com/​H​u​b​e​r​man to claim a free Element sample pack with any purchase

Temperature and Sleep Quality

• Eight Sleep offers smart mattress covers with heating, cooling, and sleep tracking capacity
• Proper sleep is crucial for mental health, physical health, and performance
• Temperature regulation is essential for falling and staying asleep
• Visit eightsleep​.com/​H​u​b​e​r​man to save $250 off an Eight Sleep cover through September 11

Conclusion

• This episode provides various science-​​based tools and protocols to improve focus and concentration

• By implementing these tools, individuals can take control of their cognitive abilities and enhance their performance in daily life
  Neuroscience of Focus and Concentration

• Three neurochemicals involved in focus and concentration:

• Epinephrine (adrenaline): increases energy and alertness, necessary for focus
• Acetylcholine: directs concentration, acts like a spotlight on specific neurons
• Dopamine: sustains focus, associated with motivation and reward

Sleep and Focus

• Sleep modulates focus and attention, optimizing sleep is crucial for maintaining focus
• Chronic sleep deprivation cannot be overcome by any tool or supplement
• Tools to overcome one or two nights of sleep deprivation exist, but sleep is still essential

40 Hz Binaural Beats for Focus

• Peer-​​reviewed studies show that 40 Hz binaural beats can improve focus and concentration
• Increases levels of dopamine and acetylcholine
• Can be accessed through apps like Brainwave (available for iOS and Android)
• Recommended use: listen for 5 minutes before work, or during work if feeling distractible

• Can also be used before workouts to improve focus on muscle contractions
  Binaural Beats and Noise for Focus

• 40 Hz binaural beats: powerful tool for increasing acetylcholine and other neurochemicals

  • Can be used before or during work to improve focus
• White Noise, Pink Noise, and Brown Noise 
  • Can improve the ability to transition into concentrated states
  • Can be used during work or as an alternative to binaural beats
  • Available on YouTube and zero-​​cost apps

Understanding Focus and Concentration

• Focus is dynamic and requires a warm-​​up period 
  • Gradual transition from shallow focus to deep focus
  • Be patient with yourself and understand that focus can be improved over time
• Sleep is crucial for focus and concentration 
  • Refer to Hubermanlab​.com and the Neural Network newsletter for sleep optimization

Ultradian Cycles and Focus Duration

• Ideal focus duration: 90 minutes or less 
  • Aligns with the brain’s natural ultradian cycles
  • First 5–10 minutes may be a transition time

• Deliberate defocus: take at least 10–30 minutes to decompress after a focus session

  • Engage in menial tasks or let your mental state idle
  • Essential for maintaining the ability to focus
    Importance of Decompression and Sleep

• Decompression is essential after focus bouts

• Sleep is the ultimate form of restoration
• After 90 minutes or less of focus, take a break and do something automatic or reflexive
• Avoid focused reading or staring at a phone during breaks

Ultradian Cycles and Focus Capacity

• Number of ultradian cycles one can perform depends on: 
  • Sleep quality
  • Nutrition
  • Focus capacity training
• More trained individuals need more deliberate decompression and defocus
• Recommended to do 2–3 deep work sessions per day
• Intensity of work scales directly with how long you need to rest after that work

Nutrition and Focus

• Nutrition is a complicated topic
• Different diets work for different people (vegan, carnivore, omnivore, ketogenic)
• Neurons’ ability to encode information is related to blood glucose levels 
  • Sufficient glucose in the brain allows for clearer perception and thinking
• Intermittent fasting can provide mental clarity for some people

• Neurons thrive on glucose, unless on a ketogenic diet
  Fasting, Food, and Focus

• Fasting can enhance mental clarity and focus

  • Provided you’re well-​​hydrated and have enough electrolytes
  • Ingesting food shifts the nervous system towards parasympathetic mode (rest and digest)
  • Too many carbohydrates can make you sleepy
• Balancing fasting and eating for optimal focus 
  • Fasting: high degree of focus and concentration
  • Fed: sufficient blood glucose for optimal neuronal function
  • Avoid overeating to prevent parasympathetic mode and difficulty focusing
• Incorporating both fasted and fed states for optimal focus 
  • Example: fasted workout and focused work in the morning, fed focused work in the afternoon
  • Delay caffeine intake to 90–120 minutes after waking up for better focus

Food and Focus

• Reducing simple sugar intake and highly processed foods can improve focus and concentration
• Consuming foods rich in precursors to dopamine and acetylcholine can enhance focus 
  • Examples: Parmesan cheese, certain meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables
  • Avoid overeating to prevent diminished focus

• Caffeine can improve focus and concentration

  • Dosage range: 100–400 milligrams (depending on individual tolerance)
  • Ingesting caffeine with or without food can affect its impact on focus
  • Delay caffeine intake to 90–120 minutes after waking up for better focus
  • Yerbamate is a popular caffeine source, but avoid smoked versions due to carcinogenic compounds
    Yerba Mate Tea

• Anna Park organic brand recommended

• Cost-​​effective, clean, and non-​​smoked variety
• Provides an even lift and stimulant effect

Caffeine and Dopamine

• Caffeine increases the density and efficacy of dopamine receptors
• Enhances motivation and drive
• Best to consume early in the day to avoid sleep disruption

Caffeine and Alertness

• Caffeine increases alertness through adenosine and epinephrine systems
• Too much caffeine can cause jitters due to the sympathetic nervous system’s bias toward movement

Stress and Concentration

• Stress can improve concentration and performance by increasing adrenaline
• Study: “Acute Stress Improves Concentration Performance” (Experimental Psychology, 2020)
• Even modest increases in stress hormones can enhance focus and concentration

Cold Exposure for Focus

• Deliberate cold exposure increases epinephrine and dopamine levels
• Improves concentration, focus, and immune system function
• Cold water exposure should be uncomfortably cold but safe for 1–5 minutes

• Can be combined with other focus-​​enhancing techniques, such as 40 Hz binaural beats
  Deliberate Cold Exposure for Focus

• Cold exposure increases focus and concentration

• Can be done through a 3‑minute cold shower or submerging in cold water
• Positive effects of epinephrine can last up to an hour or more

13-​​Minute Meditation for Focus

• Study by Dr. Wendy Suzuki’s lab showed significant improvements in focus, concentration, mood, and stress reduction
• Meditation involves:
  • Setting a timer for 13 minutes
  • Sitting or lying down with eyes closed
  • Focusing on nasal breathing
  • Concentrating on a point about an inch inside the forehead
  • Continually refocusing on the point and breath when the mind drifts
• This practice trains the neural circuits involved in focus and concentration
• Also improves sleep and memory
• Should not be done within 4 hours of bedtime

Non-​​Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) or Yoga Nidra

• Effective for improving focus when sleep-deprived
• Involves lying down and listening to an audio script for 10–60 minutes
• Script guides through progressive deep relaxation, body scan, and long exhale breathing
• Restorative and refreshing
• Neuroimaging data shows restoration of dopamine levels in the basal ganglia after NSDR
• Can be found for free on YouTube, apps, or other sources

• Can be done daily, even when not sleep-​​deprived
  NSDR and Yoga Nidra for Focus and Concentration

• NSDR (Non-​​Sleep Deep Rest) or Yoga Nidra can help with focus and concentration when sleep-deprived

• Neurochemical replenishing effects, such as dopamine restoration
• Can partially compensate for lost sleep, but not a total replacement for sleep

Hypnosis for Focus and Concentration

• Hypnosis is a unique brain state combining deep focus and deep relaxation
• Can be accessed through tools like the Reverie app, which offers specific hypnosis protocols for improving focus and concentration
• Hypnosis can be done at any time of day and can provide significant improvements in focus and concentration in a short amount of time

Visual-​​Based Tools for Focus and Concentration

• Visual focus drives cognitive focus
• Practice maintaining visual focus on one location for 30 seconds to 3 minutes
• Refocusing on the location when gaze drifts helps improve focus and concentration

• This practice recruits neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex and frontal eye fields
  Improving Focus and Concentration

• Covert focus: focusing on one location while gazing at another

  • Useful for evaluating surroundings without directly staring
  • Can help improve focus and concentration
• Practice focusing on one location for 30 seconds, then increase by 5 seconds each day 
  • Can be done overtly or covertly
  • Helps ramp up neural activity in circuits related to focus and concentration
• Use visual focus as a warm-​​up before work or physical activity 
  • Helps enter a focused state more easily

Compounds for Concentration and Focus

• Omega‑3 essential fatty acids 
  • Supports mood, concentration, and brain function
  • 1–3 grams of EPA essential fatty acid per day recommended
  • Can be obtained through supplements or food sources like fatty fish and algae
• Creatine
  • Supports cognitive performance, especially in prefrontal cortex
  • 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day recommended
  • Can be taken as a powder mixed with water or other liquids

• Acetylcholine

  • Increases focus and neuroplasticity
  • Can be obtained through choline-​​rich foods or supplements like Alpha GPC
  • Alpha GPC: 300–600 milligrams taken 10–20 minutes before a focus-​​intensive activity
    Alpha GPC and Stroke Concerns

• Recent study suggests chronic use of Alpha GPC may increase vulnerability to stroke

  • Possibly related to increases in TMAO, a cardiovascular system marker
• To offset potential TMAO increases, consume 600mg of garlic 
  • Garlic has benefits for cardiovascular and immune system function

Alpha GPC, L‑Tyrosine, and Caffeine for Focus

• Alpha GPC increases acetylcholine transmission, beneficial for concentration and focus
• Caffeine increases epinephrine and dopamine receptor density
• L‑Tyrosine increases dopamine transmission
• Combining these supplements can improve focus and concentration 
  • Use early in the day to avoid sleep disruption
  • Use about four days per week

Approach to Improving Focus

1. Behavioral tools (e.g., binaural beats, cold showers)
2. Nutrition (e.g., foods rich in L‑Tyrosine)
3. Supplementation (e.g., Alpha GPC, L‑Tyrosine, caffeine)

4. Prescription drugs (only if necessary and prescribed by a doctor)

5. Supplements can help teach brain circuits to focus and concentrate more deeply

6. Prescription drugs for ADHD (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall) can be beneficial for those with clinically diagnosed ADHD, but should not be used by those without a prescription

7. Focus on behavioral tools and nutrition before resorting to prescription drugs, except in cases of severe mental health issues where behavioral tools may not be sufficient
   Increasing Focus and Concentration

8. Behavioral tools and supplementation can help train neural circuits for focus and concentration

9. Phenyl Ethylamine (PEA) can increase dopamine transmission 
   • Can be used in combination with other supplements like L‑tyrosine, Alpha GPC, and caffeine
   • Use cautiously and not too frequently (e.g., once a month)

Tools for Focus and Concentration

• Meditation: 13 minutes daily can improve focus
• Hypnosis
• Visual focus: overt and covert
• Supplements:
  • Alpha GPC
  • Phenylethylamine
  • L‑tyrosine
  • Creatine
  • Omega-​​3s
• Sleep optimization

Finding the Right Combination

• Try different combinations of tools and supplements for mental and physical work
• Aim to increase neuroplasticity in neural circuits for focus and refocusing attention
• Also important to have periods of deliberate decompression and defocusing