ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus

1. Limit Adolescent Smartphone Use

Adolescents should limit smartphone use to less than 60 minutes per day to avoid significant decreases in attentional capacity and maintain focus on other tasks.

2. Limit Adult Smartphone Use

Adults should aim to limit smartphone use to two hours per day or less to prevent severe attentional deficits and maintain focus, as excessive context switching on phones diminishes capacity for meaningful work.

3. 17-Minute Interoceptive Stillness

Engage in a 17-minute practice of sitting quietly with eyes closed, focusing on internal states like breathing and skin contact, as this can significantly and near-permanently reduce attentional blinks and improve focus.

4. Practice Panoramic Vision

Consciously dilate your visual gaze to engage panoramic vision (open monitoring), which allows the brain to process more information faster and recognize multiple targets, thereby reducing attentional blinks and improving focus.

5. Pre-Focus Physical Activity

Engage in physical movement or activity before attempting to focus on a mental task, as this can help dissipate “reverberatory activity” in the nervous system, making it easier to sit still and concentrate.

6. Use Fidgeter Toys for Focus

For children and adults with ADHD or difficulty sitting still, use fidgeter toys or subtle physical actions (like tapping a foot or bouncing a knee) to engage pre-motor circuits, which can enhance mental focus by providing an outlet for physical energy.

7. Regulate Blinking for Focus

Consciously control your blinking rate and visual fixation on targets, as blinking influences time perception and dopamine levels, which in turn regulate attention and focus.

8. Deliberately Engage Interest

If struggling to focus on mundane tasks, deliberately delude yourself into believing the material is highly interesting, as this engagement of the “desire to know” circuit (involving dopamine) can enhance focus and memory.

9. Eliminate Simple Sugars (ADHD)

Children with ADHD should avoid high sugar and simple sugar foods as much as possible, as observed by pediatric neurologists to have a dramatic and positive effect on symptoms.

10. Investigate Food Allergies (ADHD)

For children with ADHD, investigate existing mild food allergies, as eliminating these foods (oligo-antigenic diet) may significantly reduce ADHD symptoms, potentially allowing for less or no medication.

11. Supplement Omega-3s for Focus

Adults with ADHD or mild attention deficits should consider supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, aiming for 1000-2000mg or more of EPA and at least 300mg of DHA daily, as this can modulate attention and potentially reduce medication needs.

12. Phosphatidylserine for ADHD Children

Children with ADHD may benefit from supplementing with 200mg of phosphatidylserine daily for two months, especially when combined with omega-3 fatty acids, to reduce ADHD symptoms.

13. Alpha GPC for Cognitive Focus

To enhance focus and learning, consider supplementing with Alpha GPC (a form of choline) at 300-600mg, as it increases acetylcholine transmission in the brain, which is vital for cognitive focus. (Caution advised, check with doctor for higher doses or underlying conditions).

14. L-Tyrosine for Dopamine

Consider L-Tyrosine (an amino acid precursor to dopamine) to improve focus, but approach with caution due to wide dosage ranges (100-1200mg) and potential for over-stimulation or mood dysregulation, especially with underlying psychiatric conditions.

15. PEA for Dopamine Stimulation

Explore PEA (phenylethylamine) as a dopamine-stimulating supplement to potentially increase focus, but be aware that dosage can be tricky and caution is advised due to its impact on the dopamine system.

16. Racetams for Cognitive Capacity

Investigate racetams like Nupept (e.g., 10mg twice daily) to enhance cognitive capacity, as they stimulate the acetylcholine system, similar to Alpha GPC, and may be beneficial for focus, especially after brain injury or for cognitive decline. (Note: legality varies, consult doctor).

17. Early ADHD Treatment is Key

For children diagnosed with ADHD, early treatment with medication (under physician guidance) can help frontal, task-related circuits develop appropriate functioning and teach kids how to focus in various contexts.

18. Combine Medication with Training

If using prescription ADHD medication, combine it with behavioral training (e.g., visual focus tasks, interoceptive exercises) to leverage the brain’s enhanced plasticity under medication, aiming to train circuits for focus and potentially reduce reliance on drugs over time.

19. TMS for Focus Enhancement

Explore Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a non-invasive treatment for ADHD and focus enhancement, as it can stimulate specific prefrontal cortex circuits involved in task-directed states, especially when combined with focused learning tasks.

20. Supplement Vitamin D3K2

Supplement with Vitamin D3K2, as D3 is essential for brain and body health (many are deficient even with sun exposure) and K2 regulates cardiovascular function and calcium.

21. Morning Electrolyte Hydration

Dissolve one packet of an electrolyte drink (like Element, which has sodium, magnesium, potassium, and no sugar) in 16-32 ounces of water and drink it first thing in the morning and during physical exercise to ensure proper hydration and electrolyte balance.

22. Utilize NSDR for Energy

Use meditation apps like Waking Up, particularly for Yoga Nidra or Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols, to restore cognitive and physical energy with sessions as short as 10 minutes by lying still with an active mind.

23. Avoid Self-Diagnosing ADHD

Do not self-diagnose or diagnose others with ADHD; a professional psychiatrist, physician, or clinical psychologist should make the diagnosis based on clear criteria.