Concentration Problems: Causes, Solutions and When to See a Doctor
By the Mush n Go editorial team - 27 September 2026
By the Mush n Go editorial teamUpdated 6 November 202615 min read
Concentration
Concentration problems most often come down to lifestyle: lack of sleep, stress and constant interruptions, followed by unbalanced meals and too much sitting. You improve them by working on these levers, one at a time. If they last more than a few weeks, also affect your memory or go back to childhood, see a doctor.
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Discover the pack →Recognising the signs
Concentration problems: how to recognise them.
We talk about concentration problems or difficulties when it becomes hard to keep your attention on a task, see it through, or remember what you have just read. Everyone has “off” days. What should alert you is when those days become the rule, several weeks in a row.
- You read the same paragraph three times without taking it in.
- You open one tab, then another, and forget what you were looking for.
- You start lots of tasks but finish few.
- You lose the thread of a conversation or a meeting.
- You feel the need to check your phone every five minutes.
- Your mind feels “foggy” in the late morning or late afternoon.
On their own, these signs say nothing about the cause. The most useful thing is to note them down for a week, with the time and context: a short night before, a busy day, a late coffee. That is often where the cause reveals itself. If the main feeling is a foggy head rather than attention that drifts, read our article on brain fog.
Causes in adults
Lack of concentration: the causes in adults.
Concentration depends on many things at once. Most often, it is not a single cause but several small ones adding up. Here are the most common in adults, with a first lead for each.
| Cause | What you notice | First lead |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of sleep | Attention that drifts, especially in the afternoon | Regular hours, at least 7 h a night |
| Interruptions | Difficulty getting into a task | Notifications off, phone out of sight |
| Stress, mental load | Racing thoughts, scattered mind | Write everything down, breaks, walking |
| Task overload | Feeling you do everything by halves | Three tasks a day, one at a time |
| Unbalanced meals | Slump after lunch | Protein, vegetables, fewer fast sugars |
| Dehydration | Heavy head, general tiredness | A glass of water at every break |
| Too much caffeine | Jitters, then an energy crash | Fewer cups, none after 2 pm |
| Too much sitting | Sluggish mind after hours in a chair | Walk for a few minutes every hour |
| Screens in the evening | Falling asleep later | Screens off an hour before bed |
| Medical cause | Lasting problems, other symptoms | An appointment with your GP |
Anaemia, iron or vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid disorders, depression, attention deficit disorder or medication side effects can also play a part. Only a doctor can identify them.
Sleep first
No trick replaces a good night's sleep.
It is the number one cause, and the most underestimated. When you sleep badly or too little, attention is the first function to suffer. The trap is that you barely notice: you get used to the tiredness and end up taking it for your normal state.
The study by Hans Van Dongen and his colleagues showed this strikingly. Healthy adults were limited to 4, 6 or 8 hours in bed for two weeks. After 14 nights of 6 hours, their attention performance had fallen to the level seen after a night without sleep. And yet they felt only moderately tired.
Fixed hours
Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, weekends included, sets your internal clock.
Caffeine before 2 pm
Caffeine works for hours after the last cup. A 5 pm coffee can shorten your night without you feeling it.
An evening ritual
A cool, dark bedroom, screens put away, reading or stretching: a signal repeated every evening.
The lesson is simple: if you regularly sleep less than 7 hours, start there. Every other lead in this article will work better on a rested brain. Our 15 evening habits for better sleep give you a concrete starting point.
Screens and interruptions
The enemy is not the screen, it is the interruption.
Notification, email, message, a tab opened “just to check”: every interruption forces the brain to switch context, then come back. That back-and-forth has a cost. It often takes many minutes to get back to the level of concentration you had before being disturbed.
Even a silent phone is not neutral. In Adrian Ward's experiments, participants whose smartphone lay on the desk, face down, did worse on working memory tests than those who had left it in another room. And even without a phone, the mind wanders off on its own: nearly half the time, according to Killingsworth and Gilbert.
- Turn off all notifications, except calls from your loved ones.
- Leave your phone in another room during important tasks.
- Check your inbox at set times, two or three times a day.
- Work with a single tab open, the one for the task in hand.
- Let your colleagues know when you start a block of work.
These rules also apply to students, for whom the phone is often the first thief of attention. Our 10 habits for revising for exams adapt them to revision periods.
What the research says
Attention and concentration: four studies worth knowing.
Concentration is one of the most studied subjects in psychology. Here are four pieces of work that shed very practical light on what weakens it, and what can help. Full references are at the bottom of the page.
Van Dongen et al., 2003 · United States
Healthy adults limited to 4, 6 or 8 hours in bed for two weeks. At 6 hours a night, their attention deteriorated day after day to the level of a sleepless night, while they said they felt only slightly tired. Limitation: a laboratory protocol.
Killingsworth and Gilbert, 2010 · United States
More than 2,000 adults questioned via an app at random moments. Their minds were wandering in nearly 47 % of cases, whatever the activity, and these moments were associated with a lower mood. Limitation: self-reported data.
Ward et al., 2017 · United States
Nearly 800 participants took tests with their phone on the desk, in their pocket or in another room. The closer the phone, the lower the working memory scores, even when switched off. Limitation: students, in a laboratory.
Stough et al., 2001 · Australia
46 healthy adults took a bacopa monnieri extract or a placebo for twelve weeks. Differences in information processing speed appeared at twelve weeks, not before. Limitation: a small trial that needs confirming.
In short: sleep enough, protect your attention from distractions, and judge any routine over several weeks. Nothing spectacular, but these are the best-established levers.
Memory and concentration
Memory and concentration problems: when the two go together.
Memory and concentration are linked: you remember poorly what you did not really pay attention to. Most everyday “memory lapses” are in fact lapses of attention. But when both falter together, and for a long time, you need to find out why.
Tiredness and stress
The most common cause, at any age. Forgotten appointments, words that escape you, tasks left undone: everything falls back into place with decent nights and a lighter load.
Mood
Depression often comes with slowed thinking, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. It can be treated, and the problems along with it.
Hormones
Perimenopause often brings forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. See our guide menopause and natural solutions.
After 60
New memory lapses that get in the way of daily life, or that those around you notice, are worth discussing with your doctor. They can refer you to a memory clinic.
On the food side, no food builds memory, but a varied diet avoids the deficiencies that weaken it. Our list of foods for memory reviews what has actually been studied.
Take the test
Concentration problems: taking the test.
There is no single test for concentration problems, but there are screening questionnaires. The best known for adults is the ASRS, developed with the World Health Organization to screen for possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. Its short version has six questions on how often everyday situations occur.
- Having trouble wrapping up the final details of a project once the interesting part is done.
- Having trouble getting things in order when a task requires organisation.
- Forgetting appointments or obligations.
- Putting off a task that requires a lot of thought.
- Having trouble sitting still, fidgeting, feeling driven to act as if by a motor.
This type of questionnaire does not make a diagnosis: it only shows whether it is worth talking to a professional. Adult ADHD is diagnosed by a trained psychiatrist or neurologist, and one point matters a great deal: the difficulties have been there since childhood. Concentration problems that appeared recently, in adulthood, point instead to sleep, stress, mood or a medical cause.
What to do: the methods
Lack of concentration, what to do? The methods that work.
Concentration is not just a matter of willpower. It is also a matter of organisation. A few simple methods create the conditions for it to settle in. None is universal: try one for a week before you judge.
| Method | The principle | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Pomodoro | 25 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break, a long break every four rounds | Procrastinators |
| Long blocks | 90 minutes on a demanding subject, protected in your diary | Deep work, writing, analysis |
| List of three | Three tasks maximum for the day, in order | Overloaded days |
| Brain dump | Write everything down on paper before you start | Minds that go round in circles |
| Task first | The most important one before emails | Those who get sucked into their inbox |
7.30 am
Daylight as soon as you wake up, a breakfast with protein, a large glass of water.
9 am
Your most important task, phone in another room, notifications off.
11 am
Emails and messages, batched together. A few minutes on your feet.
12.30 pm
A balanced lunch, not too heavy, then a ten-minute walk outside.
3 pm
The less demanding tasks, in short blocks. No more caffeine after this time.
Chronic stress also deserves to be taken seriously: a mind on permanent alert scatters attention. Our article how to lower cortisol brings together the everyday levers that help you come back down.
Coffee, water and your plate
Steady fuel, steady attention.
The brain does not need miracle foods, but a regular supply. Big swings, a skipped breakfast followed by a heavy, sugary lunch, are often paid for with energy slumps. Hydration, finally, is a simple and forgotten lever: even mild dehydration can weigh on alertness.
And coffee? It helps in the moment, no doubt about it. The problem is excess: four or five cups a day, the jitters, then the crash, and a shortened night that keeps the next day's tiredness going. Cutting the dose without giving up the ritual is often the best option. That is the idea behind our Brainstoorm, a mushroom coffee with 20 mg of caffeine per cup, with 1,000 mg of Lion's Mane.
“I feel more focused and much less jittery”
★★★★★ Roxane T. · 24 October 2025
“More mental clarity, more energy, and the famous 4 pm slump... gone for good!”
★★★★★ Virginie L. · 29 August 2026
Real Trustpilot reviews of Brainstoorm, quoted as written. These are personal experiences.
Plants and mushrooms
Bacopa, Lion's Mane, ginkgo: what we know.
Once your lifestyle is in order, some people add a routine based on plants and mushrooms. Let us be clear: no capsule makes up for a night that is too short. But several ingredients have been studied, with interesting results and limitations worth knowing.
Bacopa monnieri
A plant from the Ayurvedic tradition. In Stough's trial, differences appeared after twelve weeks of use, not before. See the bacopa page.
Lion's Mane
The mushroom Hericium erinaceus, studied for its hericenones and erinacines. Research in humans is still young, with small trials. See our guide Lion's Mane: benefits and dosage.
Ginkgo biloba
The most studied leaf extract. Kennedy and his team observed effects on speed of attention in 20 young adults after a single dose, varying with the dose. See the ginkgo page.
These ingredients are combined, with saffron and maritime pine, in our Focus formula, as a 30-day course, caffeine-free. As the bacopa trial shows, this type of routine is judged over several weeks. Ask for advice before starting it if you are on medication, especially anticoagulants, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Who to see, and when
Concentration problems: who to see, and when?
Most concentration difficulties are explained by lifestyle. But they can also be a symptom of something else. Do not stay alone with problems that persist.
See your doctor if your concentration problems:
- have lasted several weeks despite decent sleep;
- come with intense tiredness, breathlessness, weight loss or a very low mood;
- appeared after a change of medication, a fall or a blow to the head;
- also affect recent memory, language or your sense of direction;
- have bothered you since childhood, at school as well as at work.
Your GP is the first port of call. They will review your sleep, mood and medication, and may order a blood test: iron, vitamin B12, thyroid. Depending on what they find, they will refer you to a sleep specialist, a psychologist or psychiatrist if stress or mood is involved, a neurologist if memory or language are affected, or for a neuropsychological assessment if the difficulties go back to childhood.
Your questions
Concentration problems: your questions.
What causes concentration problems?
The most common causes are lack of sleep, stress, constant interruptions, unbalanced meals, dehydration and too much sitting. Medical causes, such as anaemia, a thyroid disorder, depression or ADHD, are also possible: a doctor can look for them.
Lack of concentration: what to do?
Start with sleep, then turn off notifications, put your phone away and work on a single task in blocks of 25 to 50 minutes. Drink water and move at every break. If nothing improves within a few weeks, see your doctor.
What causes a lack of concentration in adults?
In adults, the most common cause is lack of sleep, followed by stress and mental load. Digital interruptions, too much sitting and too much caffeine also play a part. Difficulties present since childhood may suggest ADHD.
Memory and concentration problems: should you be worried?
Most of the time, no: tiredness and stress explain most memory lapses. See a doctor if the problems are recent, getting worse, interfering with daily life or noticed by those around you, especially after 60.
Is there a test for concentration problems?
There are screening questionnaires, such as the ASRS developed with the WHO, which has six questions in its short version. They do not make a diagnosis, but show whether it is worth talking to a professional, who may suggest a neuropsychological assessment.
Can stress cause concentration problems?
Yes. Short-term stress can help you focus, but stress that lasts scatters attention: thoughts go round in circles and mental load fills the mind. Writing down your tasks and taking breaks help, and a professional can support you if anxiety sets in.
Which vitamin helps concentration?
No vitamin creates concentration, but a deficiency can weaken it. Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal functioning of the nervous system, and vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. A varied diet covers most needs.
Does coffee help you concentrate?
In the moment, caffeine increases alertness. In excess, it makes you jittery and shortens your sleep, which ends up weighing on concentration. One or two cups in the morning, or a less caffeinated drink, are a good compromise.
Which plants help concentration?
Bacopa monnieri, ginkgo biloba and the Lion's Mane mushroom are the most studied. The results are interesting but come from small trials, and are judged over several weeks. Ask for advice if you are on medication.
Who should you see for concentration problems?
Start with your GP: they will look for a simple cause, such as lack of sleep, a deficiency or a thyroid disorder. Depending on what they find, they will refer you to a sleep specialist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist or a neurologist.
Sources
- Van Dongen H. P. A., Maislin G., Mullington J. M., Dinges D. F. (2003). The cumulative cost of additional wakefulness: dose-response effects on neurobehavioral functions and sleep physiology from chronic sleep restriction and total sleep deprivation. Sleep, 26(2), 117-126.
- Killingsworth M. A., Gilbert D. T. (2010). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science, 330(6006), 932.
- Ward A. F., Duke K., Gneezy A., Bos M. W. (2017). Brain drain: the mere presence of one's own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2(2), 140-154.
- Stough C. et al. (2001). The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology, 156(4), 481-484.
- Kennedy D. O., Scholey A. B., Wesnes K. A. (2000). The dose-dependent cognitive effects of acute administration of Ginkgo biloba to healthy young volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 151(4), 416-423.
- Kessler R. C. et al. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245-256.
Keep reading
To go further.
Concentration is built on several fronts. Explore our other guides, or our guide to mushrooms.
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