Psychology question - sudden inability to concentrate

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LeisurePatient

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I used to be fine with it, but for the past week I've started getting severely distracted when I hear any clear word that I understand. My eyes twitch to the top left, and I need to re-read the word that I have last read - it's getting really annoying. It's like a waste 200ms EVERY time I hear a word. HELP!

What could cause this sudden inability to concentrate? Psychological trauma? poor nutrition? a disease like diabetes?

How do I fix this? I want to be able to read in noisy environments again and be able to ignore the worRAB that I hear.
 
LeisurePatient: Yes, your PCP can do a Vit D level check on you. Another thing about those diet sodas - the aspartame in them reduces a neurotransmitter in your brain called Taurine. That stuff is poison. Please try to stay away from it and soda in general if possible. Water, milk, tea, coffee and juices should be more than sufficient.

Quincy gave you excellent advice. Keep your blood sugars stable. Your brain is still growing if you're under 25 yrs old.

You are what you eat!
 
Thanks 92216...for the added information. One does need all those little grey cells to be firing at optimum rate especially in Chemistry and biology.

LeisurePatient...Interestingly, in the '80s carbs/low protein was the way to go...now it's the other way around. Balance is a good thing, eat sensibly and enough to fuel/hydrate your body/brain.

Interestingly, one cannot even get sugar-free-free gum anymore. I wrote Wrigley's and complained and all I got was accolades about it aspartame and the 5 other sweeteners they add to their products..ugh..lol. I was horrified my fave Doublemint that I chewed sincd the '60s had become adulterated in the new century.

I've since found a gum that's "acceptable" to me which has only Xylitol (Spry gum)..I don't chew a lot per day, but at least it doesn't have aspartame or sucralose in it.

OK, rant over...oopsie.

Be well! Let us know about your vitamin D levels.

q
 
anxiety, distress, recent problems...or disinterest in what you're reading?

Have you had your vitamin D checked?

Are you taking in good nutrition and possibly taking a balanced supplementation to make up of what you're not eating?

Are you getting enough protein? Have you recently cut out carbs in your diet?

Are you studying for a test or are you in a heavy course?

ARe you drinking products with artificial sweeteners?

What meRAB or ilk are you taking?

Actually more questions than answers....If it's something that's recent and you were able to concentrate fully in the past, you should see your doctor if it's nothing that doesn't click as a possibility that you can change..

quincy
 
Have you had your vitamin D checked?
>No

Are you taking in good nutrition and possibly taking a balanced supplementation to make up of what you're not eating?
>I haven't had any major changes in my nutrition intake

Are you getting enough protein?
>I'm getting enough proteins.

Have you recently cut out carbs in your diet?
***YES!! I have cut out carbs significantly - my BMI was approaching 29.7 so I decided to do that, should I bump those up for the next few days and see what happens?

Are you studying for a test or are you in a heavy course?
***They're sort of heavy courses - but I love them! (Biology/Chemistry)

Are you drinking products with artificial sweeteners?
***Yes, four diet Pepsi's within the past week, I've had more though.
I know they're bad, but they're the only non-water drink I had so... Usually I stick with other drinks.

What meRAB or ilk are you taking?
>No meRAB, ilk?
 
ilk...and the like, such as over the counter preparations, supplements, etc.

The problem with cutting carbs is that you aren't feeding your brain. Exercise....carbs is what fuels your body to function..like gas in a car.
Now, I'm not meaning chips, chocolate bars, etc. Complex carbs, whole grains, fruit...etc. That's what your body burns. The proteins have a different role, and if you're not getting enough carbs, it'll start consuming fuel from the the protein containing parts. As well, it doesn't really help lower weight because the body goes into a pseudo starvation mode...no food in, no weight loss...conserve energy, etc. That includes thinking.
My take on it...do the research, but you'll have to sift through the buzz stuff first.

Sugar substitutes such as artificial sweeteners, including packaged for coffee/tea, diet drinks, 0-calorie fooRAB, chewing gum, etc....increases your insulin level and with no sugar/carbs to use it up, it's free flowing in your system causing its own problems. Concentration, obesity, mood swings, stress...etc. Since you're only drinking 4 diet pepsies a week, you should consider the regular kind

Your vitamin D levels...most of us are low. My suggestion would be for at least 2000IU D3 daily. I take 4500 IU D3 daily, but mine is low. You should truly get it checked.

Take in enough water...sips regularly are good..that will help preventing you to run to the bathroom often while studying.

A multivitamin with no iron for men is another suggestion.

Read labels....you'll be shocked as to what's in some fooRAB.

I'm not an ingredient zealot by any means...just that there are many choices and the buzz of no carbs/0 calories/artificial sweeteners are making many people unbalanced.


It's great you're enjoying your studies...Biology/chemistry is definitely heavy stuff...

Feel better soon,
quincy
 
Definitely the carbs - the problem almost totally disappeared within 4 days of fixing that. :) Again, TY

Another possible reason for this - on Friday, I accidentally fell asleep at 5:00 PM and woke up at 11:30 AM, the next day! Now I feel better than ever - so lack of sleep might also have been *part* of the problem.

Still haven't had my Vitamin D checked yet though - I will...
 
Hi...good to hear you're feeling better!!! Yes, definitely get your D checked and in the meantime if you're not taking any...do take at least 1000 IU. That's still low...up to 3000 or 4000 iu is what you might eventually need. Important.

Lack of sleep can do quite a nuraber on our mental state and focus. You're doing some heavy studying...

Thanks for the update!
quincy
 
No ilks :P

Ahh, okay - I had a feeling that might have been the problem, I'll bump up the carbs to the level they were.

As I said, I was only drinking those because I didn't have time to go to the grocery store and they were the only thing I had - but I've stocked up on regular iced tea and chocolate milk now (without artificial sweeteners)

To get my vitamin D checked, do I just go to a local hospital/my family doctor and say "I want my Vitamin D checked" and they'll do it through a blood sample or something?

And I'll drink more water.

TY :D
 
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