Wandering Minds

As studying for exams commences and getting everything together for the holidays approaches, it is easy to feel like you are spreading yourself too thin. College students already feel like they are being pulled in too many directions, but this time of the year can send those stresses into heighten new extremes.  One of the most prominent signs of stress and anxiety is the inability to focus. While we could discuss the endless (negative) health effects of stress on your life, this post is meant to consider why you may have trouble diverting your thoughts from Facebook, and centering them on the research paper that you haven't started yet.

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Once your mind begins to wander it can take twice the time to get it back on track. This is when the distractions turn into rationalizations; you may begin to make promises with yourself to recommence on the task after you finish another episode of Walking Dead.  If you average out how many of your thoughts are comprised of focused substance in comparison with how many are spent day dreaming, it results in about a 50/50 split for young adults ages 18-25.  This lack of concentration impacts your body on a chemical level and ultimately results in the prolonged lifestyle of the procrastinator.  Scientists are targeting telomeres as the biological culprit for the lack of focus. According to researchers at the University of California telomeres are the protective caps at the end of chromosomes, and a direct reflection of your brain's accelerated rate into the aging process.  These telomeres will naturally get shorter as you get older, and reflect the onset of disease as you age. At the quarter life age of 20 something no one wants to try and tackle college calculus with the mental capacity of a 70 year old, the energy needed to focus would be exhausting. 

Multiple research studies done through the California Research Lab of Cognitive Therapy have proven that individuals who report a difficulty focusing have shorter telomeres overall.  One of the main reasons why we subconsciously let our minds wander is because it is easier to focus on something that does not have carry the amount of stress and pressure that writing a 20 page paper encompasses.  A quick suggested fix is to simply breathe.  The Journal of Emotion reports that a mere 8 minutes of focused breathing will help bring your mind back to focus.  With the benefits of breathing comes meditation and yoga. Both of these practices are not only good for your physical health, but stimulate the enzyme telomeres that can help elongate your chromosome caps. Trying out meditative practices will not only make you physically stronger, but will benefit your mental stamina as well. 

Certain vitamin deficiencies may also be causing you to forget to turn the stove off.  Deficiencies in certain vitamins like D and B-12 will hinder your ability to focus and lead to the dulling of nerve receptors in the frontal cortex.  Luckily offsetting the imbalance with vitamin supplements like omega-3s will not only slow your aging process but help strengthen your telomeres.

Once you establish a balanced diet filled with the necessary vitamins it is time to get moving. It may seem like exercise is the ultimate health cure all...because it is! With just 30 minutes of exercise a day you telomeres can look almost 10 years younger than those who are less than physically inclined.   If you are wondering where to start in order to maintain your memory, the majority of health specialists recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day three to five times a week.  This physical activity and stimulated brain activity can actually rewire a distracted brain and will ultimately prevent against the dulling of sensors that can lead to memory affecting illnesses like Alzheimer's disease.

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There will be times that the situations seem to build up, and your life roles will conflict.  Prioritizing all of these responsibilities can sometimes demand more than the mind can handle which results in this feeling of distraction.  Built up stress and anxiety not only take years off your life, but cause you to have an elevated awareness of your surroundings.  Even the smallest distractions can turn into an hour of being side tracked. When watching grass grow becomes more interesting than the conversation you should be listening to, it may be time to take a minute or so to try and regain focus. 

The next time you lose your keys three times in one hour or try to put the cereal in the refrigerator consider how you may be treating your telomeres, and if that doesn't work proceed to meditate until all problems are solved.



Read more about wandering minds here!

Physical effects of stress

-RV