MENTPSYCH Meet Your Self
Why do you find it difficult to focus when reading? What causes these problems, and how can you avoid them? Learn more here.
You try to read but find it challenging and frequently become distracted. Additionally, it is impossible to read something and retain the knowledge at the same time. What causes this to occur? Why are you struggling to focus?
We’ll discuss the most frequent causes of this occurrence and provide you with some tips for improving your reading focus.
Concentraction
Concentration “is a taught ability of reacting passively or not being distracted by irrelevant stimuli,” claim Schmid and Peper (1991). It also suggests the capacity to fully inhabit the present moment.
To learn, research, read, and perform many other daily activities, you must be able to focus. Although obviously the level of focus required will vary based on the task.
Why it’s difficult to focus while reading
Most of the time, one of the situations or behaviors listed below is the root cause of reading concentration problems.
1. Lack of routine
If reading isn’t something you often do, it could be tough for you to focus. Keep in mind that sustained attention (also known as focus) can be trained. Your brain functions like a muscle, and various cognitive skills, including concentration, are “placed” within this muscle.
They won’t be at the level you want if you ignore them. As a result, reading will help you focus better when reading. Try gradually increasing your reading time by doing a bit each day with reading stuff that truly interests you.
2. A lot of distractions
HBO, Netflix.. Given the abundance of high-quality audiovisual content at your disposal, it makes sense that you’ve gotten used to using its consumption as a means of distancing yourself from reality. However, this frequently results in reading being disregarded.
This relates to what we just said earlier. Make reading a habit if you want to improve your attention span. If you plan to read for a while, try to avoid using any form of screen. Keep in mind that the purpose of the notifications on your cell phones is to get your attention. It’s challenging to stop staring at them once you start.
3. Tension
Your everyday anxieties and concerns are always there in your thoughts, waiting to creep in whenever there is a gap, even if you probably don’t realize it very often. In fact, the fact that you find it difficult to focus while reading is a result of these unwanted thoughts.
A talent that demands focus is attention. Additionally, to keep reading, you must make a deliberate choice regarding the focus of your attention. If the text is engaging once you’ve started reading, this control loosens up. That’s because, in contrast to other options in your environment, the stimulus itself is what draws your attention.
4. Small amount of motivation
You’re not motivated, which is another reason why it’s difficult for you to focus while reading. Maybe the book (or text, magazine, etc.) you’re trying to read isn’t really your cup of tea. This might be the case, for instance, if it’s a study guide.
Additionally, it will be challenging for you to focus if you have been instructed that you “must read” the material. In fact, anything you perceive as a chore inevitably becomes more challenging.
5. Fatigue
Additionally, fatigue affects your ability to focus when reading. Your brain abilities aren’t fully functional if you’re weary. This is entirely typical. Therefore, whenever you read (or are about to do activity that requires attention), make sure you’re rested and refueled.
6. Experiencing intense emotions, stress, and older age
There is no escaping the truth that as we become older, our cognitive capacities, including our capacity for sustained attention when reading, deteriorate.
This has been supported by a study from the University of Southern California (USA) that was published in Nature Human Behaviour in 2018. It implies that as we become older, we become more prone to distraction, particularly in high-stress situations or when strong emotions are present.
7. Suffering from a condition
You might be wondering why you have problems focusing when reading if none of the aforementioned factors apply to you. In actuality, there can be a different explanation. Your capacity for concentration may be impacted if you have a disorder like depression, anxiety, or ADHD (attention deficit disorder).
7.1 Depression
One of the signs of depressive pseudodementia in the case of depression is difficulty concentrating. These cognitive shortcomings linked to depression can be mistaken for dementia.
Depressive pseudodementia “typically presents with a subjective perception of significant memory loss and cognitive failures that do not necessarily correspond to the results of the cognitive evaluation, which can demonstrate the presence of mild or moderate failures,” according to Cózar et al. in a 2011 article. As a result, focus issues may be signs of depressive pseudodementia.
7.2 Anxiety
It’s really challenging to retain your attentional focus when you have anxiety. Numerous studies have linked anxiety to attention problems, including one by Benedito and colleagues in 1992.
7.3 ADHD
As one of the primary symptoms of ADHD, difficulties in directing and deliberately keeping attention are listed in the DSM V.
How to focus more clearly while reading
Finally, we’ll provide you with a few tips to help you focus better when reading.
- Distracting stimuli should be reduced.
- Choose a suitable and quiet environment in which you feel at ease.
- Maintain proper posture; you must be at ease.
- Do not compel yourself to read. That will only make you dislike it more. Find small reading opportunities throughout the day and gradually increase them.
- Take heart from your accomplishments.
- Limit your focus time. Remember that your mind can only focus for about 45 minutes on average. It must then rest.
The most crucial element may be that you take your time selecting a book that you believe will truly interest you. After all, reading ought to be enjoyable rather than a work.
Look at the summary before reading the book if you intend to do so. Alternatively, read the opening sentences. You can decide if you enjoy the author’s style based on this.
Source: exploringyourmind.com
