The Dangers of Attention Fatigue

Attention fatigue, sometimes referred to as DAF (Directed Attention Fatigue), occurs when you overuse your brain’s filtering ability. “Directed attention” (or voluntary attention) is the intentional and specific concentration on an object, in contrast to “involuntary attention,” which is attention that requires no effort. Typically, our brain’s filtering ability helps us deal with distractions, in order to maintain attention on a task.

In simple words, attention fatigue is a result of your brain being bombarded with “too much” – too much information, too much stimulation, too much stress, etc. While attention fatigue is not permanent or incurable, it can still impact your day-to-day functioning.

Attention fatigue inhibits various brain processes, such as executive functioning, which usually helps with planning ahead, making decisions, and exercising good judgment. Confusion, restlessness, forgetfulness, and short-tempers are more likely to occur as well. People also report feeling more impulsive, reckless, and unattuned to social cues when experiencing attention fatigue.

If you ever feel like your brain is overloaded, you may be experiencing attention fatigue. In this case, it’s important to let your brain rest and recover. One of the best ways to achieve this is through the practice of soft fascination.

What is Soft Fascination?

First, let us differentiate between “hard” and “soft” fascination.

• Hard Fascination: When you focus your attention on an activity that is highly stimulating
• Soft Fascination: When your attention is maintained by an activity that is less stimulating

Another important distinction between the two is that soft fascination provides the opportunity to reflect and introspect. In contrast, with hard fascination, you are typically too absorbed in the activity to pause and take a breath. In other words, hard fascination helps to entertain and reduce boredom, while soft fascination entails reflecting on and making sense of the activity.

Soft fascination is frequently researched in relation to Attention Restoration Theory (ART), a psychological concept that exposure to nature helps the brain in restoring its ability to focus and concentrate. Spending time out in nature helps relax the brain’s frontal lobe, which alleviates the symptoms of attention fatigue. Nature is ideal for practicing soft fascination because it is just stimulating enough to gently engage the brain without forcing hard concentration. The natural sounds and scenery coax our involuntary attention without requiring any intentional focus. Moreover, ART theorizes that exercising involuntary attention helps restore directed attention and any fatigue it has caused.

How to Practice Soft Fascination

As mentioned above, the best recommended practice for soft fascination is to go out into nature. Listen to the soft sounds – the chirping birds, the rustling leaves, the murmuring river – to take in the scenery. Notice the different colors, shapes, sounds, and smells. Environments that encourage soft fascination through exploring – such as hiking, or taking a walk in the forest – will gently stimulate your attention. At the same time, it still allows room for introspection and quiet thought. This allows for the opportunity to reflect on personal problems without any distractions that may dominate the attention.

If you don’t have easy access to nature, it is still worthwhile to just listen to the sounds of nature. The internet has various resources for all sorts of nature sounds, such as lightning storms or rainforest ambiance. Try to find something that you like, lie down, and close your eyes.

Mindfulness in Soft Fascination

If soft fascination still feels like a foreign concept, consider practicing mindfulness first. Mindfulness can help you become more accustomed to the practice of soft fascination, allowing for an experience akin to meditation.

Use Soft Fascination to Your Advantage

Your brain needs some idle time in order to rest and recover. This is especially true if you are constantly overstimulated on a daily basis through smartphones, TVs, and the internet. Sometimes, even reading a book requires too much effort from the brain. Moreover, pushing yourself too hard is never a good idea. Prolonged attention fatigue can cause functional issues that may lead to even more stress and anxiety. It’s important to let your brain rest when it needs a break.

If you ever feel overwhelmed from having too much on your plate, try to find some time to practice soft fascination!

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:

Ackerman, C. E. (2020, September 11). What is Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART)? Benefits + Criticisms. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/attention-restoration-theory/

Basu, A., Duvall, J., & Kaplan, R. (2018). Attention Restoration Theory: Exploring the Role of Soft Fascination and Mental Bandwidth. Environment and Behavior, 51(9-10), 1055-1081. doi: 10.1177/0013916518774400

Kaplan, S., & Berman, M. G. (2010). Directed Attention as a Common Resource for Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(1), 43-57. doi: 10.1177/1745691609356784

Ellison, M. A. (2018, March 14). Soft Fascination Allows The Mind To Wander in a Noisy, Urban World. Hiking Research. https://hikingresearch.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/soft-fascination-allows-the-mind-to-wander-in-a-noisy-urban-world/

Heid, M. (2021, June 17). How ‘Soft Fascination’ Helps Restore Your Tired Brain. Elemental. https://elemental.medium.com/how-soft-fascination-helps-restore-your-tired-brain-27669cd0be9d

Jamieson, S. (2019, November 4). Nature Exposure Helps Attention Fatigue – Dr. Susan Jamieson. Dr. Susan Jamieson Integrative Medical Practice. https://www.drsusanjamieson.com/health/attention-fatigue/

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What is the relationship between mindfulness and music, and how does it help our overall mental wellbeing?

Music Therapy and Its Benefits

Music therapy effectively heals our mental state through music. Within this therapy, there are “active” and “passive” techniques.

• Active Music Therapy
  Balances the mental state through participation in singing, music composition, and instrument playing
• Passive Music Therapy
  Calms the mind through listening to music without any participation.

The active techniques seem to be the most popular among music therapists right now, as worldwide studies and research trends more towards the active method.

However, actively singing and playing an instrument requires a commitment to self-expression. Some people may feel stressed to do so in front of others. Therefore, active music therapy can be a tall order for people who don’t feel comfortable expressing themselves.

On the other hand, the passive method is much easier since all you have to do is listen. Good news if you’re shy. It’s actually the passive music technique that pairs well with mindfulness meditation.

Music Makes Mindfulness Meditation Easier

Mindfulness meditation is about concentrating on the subtle sensories of the body to distance ourselves from negative thinking and stabilize the mind. The 3 most common ideas in the practice are to, “recognize,” “accept as is,” and “not get caught up.”

The same ideas can be applied to music therapy when the participant acknowledges their inner self, accepts their state as is, and frees themselves from conforming thoughts. When we listen to music, we immerse ourselves into the world of it unless someone presses the stop button. We recognize that we have the power to decide how we experience the music, and accept the sounds as they flow in.

Music, in fact, enhances the experience of mindfulness meditation. It helps focus on the breath while blocking out unwanted thoughts. This makes it easier to concentrate on the meditation, relax and off-shoulder some of the stress so that we can.

Among the many kinds of music, the best music for meditation is slow in tempo, lyricless, and contains nature sounds in the background. Fast-paced music and lyrics overstimulate brain activity which can be distracting. Try and find a calm piece of music that works for you.

Recommended Sounds for Mindfulness

What kind of specific music is useful for mindfulness meditation? With what we’ve mentioned in mind, here are 4 elements we recommend it has:

• Calm sounds with no lyrics
• Music that makes you feel relaxed
• Contains refreshing nature sounds
• Sounds and melodies that represent hope

Music with these elements induces the alpha brain wave state, letting the body relax.

We especially recommend “healing” music that contains “pink noise,” as they contain the 4 elements listed above.

1. Healing Music

Calm and beautiful sounds of classical music and jazz are considered part of healing music.

Healing music is said to have a sedative effect. Some medical institutions use this music to decrease the amount of anesthesia and burden for their patients. Schools also report that their student’s concentration increases when they play healing music.

Sounds that are healing work directly towards the brain and reduces stress hormones. Besides medical institutions, yoga studios, spas, and salons all play this music to create a relaxing space for clients.

Any type of music that is healing will surely help calm the mind towards mindfulness.

2. Music That Contains Pink Noise

Pink noise (also known as the ¹⁄_f noise) is a signal with a frequency spectrum similar to the rhythm of our heart, beath, and body temperature. Nature sounds such as raindrops and sizzling fire pits hold the same characteristic. Essentially, our body feels pink noise as most comfortable because it syncs with our biological rhythm.

Research by Japanese physicists also shows natural pink noise to be effective for relaxation. Music containing pink noise can assist mindfulness because it syncs with the biological rhythm of the body, properly adjusts the autonomic nerves, stabilizes the mind, and increases vitality.

The ¹⁄_f fluctuation is also associated with the frequency of therapeutic touch.

Keep Your Mind Healthy With Music!

Music is with us wherever we go.

Whether you’re the type that listens to a lot of music or not, you can still benefit from it. It releases us from fear and anxiety while it helps us relax and feel happier.

Kick back, relax, and listen to some music for your own mental wellbeing.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Reference：
Kuniyoshi, T., & Togawa, H. (2014). Passive Music Therapy and Its Significance: From A Mindfulness Perspective. Kobe College Graduate School Psychological Counseling Research, 15, 3–10. https://doi.org/10.18878/00005330

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Listen to Your Surroundings

Close your eyes and listen carefully to your surroundings. What do you hear?
Is it the buzzing of the refrigerator or the whirring of your computer? Perhaps you hear city sounds, with busy cars zooming past your street?

There are many different sounds in our daily lives, from the sounds we usually hear to the sounds we are hearing for the first time. Some are natural and some are artificial. What’s more, each sound has an impact on our emotions, even though that impact may be small. Take TV dramas, for example. The background music of each scene influences the viewer’s emotions, such as a happy pop song that plays during a happy scene.

It’s no exaggeration to say that sound is an inseparable part of our lives. It’s then no surprise that sounds seem to be deeply related to our mental health as well. How do different sounds affect our minds?

City Sounds and Noise Pollution

There are various cases where sounds do affect our health. One of the most negative is noise pollution. In terms of mental health, noisy urban city sounds have a huge impact on our sleep. For example, one survey in Japan across 3,600 adult women from different regions looked at the relationship between city sounds and sleep habits. Results showed that the risk of insomnia was proportional to the amount of traffic in areas within 20 meters of a major road. These results may be easily understood if you imagine living in a high-traffic area, as the city sounds are highly likely to disturb your sleep.

On the other hand, some studies have shown that noise pollution does not affect reading and other activities. Even if you are initially too distracted by the noise to concentrate, you gradually get used to it to a point where it doesn’t even bother you. In fact, some sounds can even increase our work efficiency.

Good Sounds, Good Vibes

Some sounds are negative, like urban city sounds, while others are positive. One of the most typical and successful applications of positive sound is background music in cafes. Successful background music hides and mitigates unnecessary noise, such as the chattering of the neighboring tables. If the background music is to your liking, you will be more satisfied with the environment. Likewise, it’s common to use music and nature sounds in the workplace as a method of stress management for the workers. Naturally, such positive sounds are mentally beneficial to our well-being.

City Sounds Aren’t All Bad

The world is filled with all sorts of sounds and everybody has different preferences for sound. A sound that has significance for you may just be meaningless noise to someone else. This seems to be true not only for individuals but also for different locations. Cicadas, for example, are common insect sounds heard in certain areas during the summer. While some regions may consider this sound a nuisance, other locations may consider it to be a pleasant indicator that summer is in the air. Some cultures consider sound as a form of environmental awareness, actively paying attention to these sounds of nature. In a sense, it’s a method of environmental education. If you think about it this way, listening to urban city sounds could also be a form of spatial and environmental awareness. Moreover, there are some interesting aspects of this from a mental health perspective.

Be Playful with Sound

Close your eyes and really pay attention to the sounds you hear, from those far away to those that are closer by. Do you hear city sounds, nature sounds, or maybe household sounds? When we create a picture purely through the sounds that we hear, it may be different from the actual visual scenery that unfolds in front of us Thus, this may help us to better understand the breadth of your consciousness.

Listening to the sounds of nature – such as the wind and trees – and noticing their changes can lead to new discoveries within. Other exercises are worth trying as well, such as physically moving our posture to notice how the vibrations in our voice change through movements. This particular activity is considered bodywork that incorporates the element of sound. When we start re-focusing our attention to the sounds normally dismissed, it gives us an opportunity to think about our relationship between self and sound. These activities that allow us to pay attention to sounds have a profound effect on our mental health.

Sounds That Resonate With Each Individual

It’s easy to understand from above that there’s a deep connection between sound and mental health. We live in a world that is littered with all sorts of sounds – from nature sounds, to urban city sounds, to household sounds… So, re-focusing our attention on the sounds that we tend to miss in our daily lives is sure to be a plus.

Now, once again, close your eyes and listen carefully to the sounds around you. The sound of rain hitting against the roof, a refrigerator buzzing, a voice over the phone, sounds that cheer us up, sounds that soothe us, sounds that resonate with our sadness. The benign sounds around us could be fueling our energy without us even realizing it. If you’re feeling up to it, I recommend that you try to find a unique favorite sound that resonates with you personally.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Reference:
Kageyama, T. (1998). Sound Environment and Mental Health. The Japanese Journal of Mental Health, 13(1) P34-39.

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