Academic Performance

Music for better focus?

Increasing number of people are struggling with focus problems in recent years. While the cause of this is complex and multifactorial, so are solutions.

It is important to consider that medications are just 1 part of the solution and may not be appropriate for everyone.

There are many medication and non-medication ways to improve attention depending on the individual.

Music might be an option for some people to improve focus.

  • One study found that classical orchestra music can increase mood and productivity, making it great for studying (1).
  • For those who don’t prefer classical music, electronic music with little to no lyrics may be an option (1).
  • Another study found that instrumental music without lyrics was better for focusing, as lyrics can be distracting when high concentration is required(2).
  • One study found that compared to silence, personally chosen background music enhanced young adults’ attentional control performance(3).

Types or features of music might worsen focus include:

  • One study found that music that causes you to feel stressed or sad worsens attention(5).
  • Listening to strongly preferred or popular music while attempting to focus tends to decrease task performance (6,7).

Caveats

  • Research shows a that there is a variation from person to person in their capacity to benefit from music (4).
  • This is an ongoing area of research and further study is needed.
  • You may have to experiment with various types of music to find what works best for you, if at all.
  • Some resources for focus music include Headspace app (they sometimes offer free trial version), and online play lists or music services.
  • Other strategies to improve focus can be found here (8) and here (9).

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By Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA ,OSU CCS Psychiatrist

Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.

References:

  1. https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/
  2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-of-choice/202410/the-link-between-attention-and-music
  3. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557225/full
  4. Bowling, D.L. Biological principles for music and mental health. Transl Psychiatry13, 374 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02671-4
  5. Shih YN, Chien WH, Chiang HS. Elucidating the relationship between work attention performance and emotions arising from listening to music. Work. 2016 Oct 17;55(2):489-494. doi: 10.3233/WOR-162408. PMID: 27689591.
  6. Orpella J, Bowling DL, Tomaino C, Ripollés P. Affectively parameterized music improves mood and attention (preprint). PsychiArXiv. 2023. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/yauxt
  7. Huang RH, Shih YN. Effects of background music on concentration of workers. Work 2011;38:383–7.
  8. https://u.osu.edu/emotionalfitness/2023/11/30/strategies-for-finals-and-academic-stress/
  9. Patel R. Mental Health For College StudentsChapter 15, Page 494-500.

 

Breakfast foods and memory

Previous posts have discussed nutrition strategies for depression.  This study looked at breakfast consumption and subsequent performance on memory afterwards (1).

Who was studied? (1)

100  healthy college students

What was the intervention? (1)

A toasted sandwich of about 400 calories with high saturated fat and high sugar, did worse than a similar calorie toasted sandwich with lower saturated fat and low sugar; similar carbohydrate and high protein, about 30 grams vs 10grams).

What were the results? (1)

Just 4 days of a breakfast of high saturated fats and high sugars led to worse performance on memory tests taken after breakfast when compared to as higher protein, moderate carb, lower sugars and lower saturated fat breakfast.

The effect size of this change was significantly associated with the change in blood glucose across the experimental meals.

What does this mean for college students?

  • This study replicated what was initially seen in animal models, but this is just 1 small study and further study is needed.
  • According to this study, college students may remember their class material better if they consumed a breakfast that was high protein, moderate carbohydrate and lower in added sugars, lower in saturated fats.
  • More practically, it may be a good idea to become mindful of your mental performance after you eat various types of meals.
  • An optimized and personalized approach to nutrition can help with both physical and mental health (see resources below like nutrition coaching).

Any other resources to improve nutrition?

If you would like to be notified of future posts (about once per month), enter your email above.

By Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA ,OSU CCS Psychiatrist

Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.

Reference:

  1. Attuquayefio T, Stevenson RJ, Oaten MJ, Francis HM. A four-day Western-style dietary intervention causes reductions in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and interoceptive sensitivity. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 23;12(2):e0172645. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172645. PMID: 28231304; PMCID: PMC5322971.

Focus problems from social media?

According to a recent survey, U.S. teens spend 4.8 hours per day using seven popular social media apps, with YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram accounting for 87% of their social media time, and specifically, 37% of teens say they spend 5 or more hours a day, 14% spend 4 to less than 5 hours a day, 26% spend 2 to less than 4 hours a day, and 23% spend less than 2 hours a day on these three apps (1,2,3).

Too much screen time is also not good for mental health.  For example, Zhai and colleague’s review of 24 studies shows that too much screen time (> 6 hours per day) can impact depression (1).  Similarly, a review of 31 studies concluded that such sedentary behavior may also impact anxiety (2).

But how about media use and inattention or focus symptoms?

While an estimated 10% of the US population has adhd as of 2022(4) many more young adults report problems with attention, focus.

A recent study looked at the impact of social media use on attention.

What was the study?

3,051 students in 10th grade were followed for 24 months, and monitored for amount and frequency of social media use and adhd symptoms, both via self report. (5)

What was the result?

Over a 2-year follow-up, high-frequency use of digital media  (>2x/day), with social media as one of the most common activities, was associated

with a modest yet statistically significant increased odds of developing ADHD   symptoms (OR 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05-1.15) (5).

What are some caveats?

  • While a number of other studies have shown a correlation (6), this is one of the first studies to show increase in adhd symptoms, but further research is needed.
  • Intuitively, if you have numerous app notifications, use programs for brief periods you are likely conditioning your brain to pay attention for short snippets, which could make it awkward to pay attention for sustained periods of time.

Here is a previous post link with strategies for healthy ways of using media, and technology, including mindful technology use.

By Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA, OSU CCS Psychiatrist

Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.

References:

  1. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-health#:~:text=4.8%20hours,of%20their%20social%20media%20time.
  2. Rothwell, J. (October 27, 2023). Parenting mitigates social media-linked mental health issues. Gallup. Survey conducted between June 26–July 17, 2023, with responses by 6,643 parents living with children between ages 3 and 19, and 1,591 teens living with those parents. https://news.gallup.com/poll/513248/parenting-mitigates-social-media-linked-mental-health-issues.aspx.
  3. Rothwell, J. (2023). How parenting and self-control mediate the link between social media use and mental health. https://ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/resources/briefs/ifs-gallup-parentingsocialmediascreentime-october2023-1.pdf.
  4. Li Y, Yan X, Li Q, et al. Prevalence and Trends in Diagnosed ADHD Among US Children and Adolescents, 2017-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2336872. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36872
  5. 82. Ra, C. K., Cho, J., Stone, M. D., De La Cerda, J., Goldenson, N. I., Moroney, E., Tung, I., Lee, S. S., & Leventhal, A. M. (2018). Association of Digital Media Use With Subsequent Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among Adolescents. JAMA, 320(3), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.8931
  6. Dekkers, T. J., & van Hoorn, J. (2022). Understanding Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents with Attention
    Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Narrative Review and Clinical Recommendations. Brain Sciences, 12(12), 1625. https://
    doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121625