35 Lesser-Known Ways to Improve Focus: Evidence, Uses, and Risks

How to Evaluate Lesser-Known Focus Methods

The more partial the concentration method, the smaller the average effect is and the greater the individual differences. What really deserves attention is not the mysterious black technology, but those attention-regulating methods that are low-cost and low-risk, but are rarely actively used by ordinary people. The following approaches are divided into four tiers based on strength of evidence and practicality: starting with low-cost, self-testable strategies, moving on to sounds, supplements, and experimental brain stimulation, and finally showing which popular practices are not worth the risk.

Level 1: Uncommon, Low-Risk Methods Worth Trying

1. Use the natural environment to restore attention

Going to the woods, park, or river doesn't just make you feel better. A 2025 meta-analysis that summarized 80 studies and 273 results found that compared with non-natural environments, natural environments have a small but reliable advantage on cognitive recovery, and the clearer improvements focus on working memory and attention control. The effects appear to be more pronounced in people who already suffer from mental fatigue, and natural exposure of about 30 minutes is of particular concern. A 2026 randomized controlled trial also found that a 30-minute urban forest walk was more conducive to restoring oriented attention than staying indoors, and was accompanied by a decrease in cortisol and an improvement in parasympathetic nervous system indicators.

• Applicable timing: After working continuously for 2 to 3 hours, especially when the brain fatigue is obvious in the afternoon
• Practical approach: Walk to a nearby park or green space for 15 to 30 minutes without using your phone during the process
• Practical rating：★★★★☆

2. Chew sugar-free gum

The relationship between chewing gum and attention has been studied for decades. A 2024 meta-analysis of gum chewing and selective attention showed an overall weak positive effect, but the effect depended on the specific task and not all tests improved. Early experiments also observed small improvements in alertness, sustained task performance, or reaction speed.

It is more suitable for boring tasks such as data checking, table processing, word memorization, repeated code checking, and reading a large amount of content with similar formats. It is not suitable as an enhancement method for complex logical reasoning. Just chew regular sugar-free gum when you start work, it doesn't have to last all day.

• Advantages: Cheap, low risk, easy to do personal control tests
• Retain standards: If it is indeed easier to sit still and continue to complete the task when chewing, it is worth using
• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

3. Increase Daytime Light Exposure

Light itself is a physiological alert signal. A 2024 systematic review covering 62 studies found that the most stable impact of daytime light is on alertness and working memory; high-brightness white light has certain advantages, but the results on sustained attention and complex executive control are not so consistent. Another systematic review also found that light with higher brightness and higher color temperature is more likely to improve daytime alertness.

• Working area: Try to work by the window in the morning and afternoon, and turn on bright ambient lights if necessary
• Key periods: 13-16 pm when you are prone to sleepiness
• Notes: Do not follow the bright light scheme at night to avoid delaying falling asleep and damaging concentration the next day
• Practical rating: ★★★★☆

4. Use a Subtle Peppermint Scent

Some randomized experiments have found that peppermint scent may improve subjective alertness, reaction speed, and performance on some memory and work tasks. One study involving 144 people observed improvements in alertness and some cognitive measures; another experiment found better typing speed, accuracy and letter sorting performance in the mint-scented condition. A 2025 placebo-controlled study of just 25 people also observed positive signs of peppermint tea on cognitive performance and prefrontal blood flow, but the sample was too small to overinterpret.

Smell the mint before starting work, or keep a very light mint scent in the environment. The concentration should not be so high that it is pungent, and attention should be paid to allergies, headaches, and pet safety issues.

• Evidence location: Not strong enough, but low cost, suitable for personal testing
• Practical rating：★★★☆☆

5. Try a Rosemary Scent

Rosemary is similar to mint. Early experiments found that some memory indicators and alertness improved when exposed to rosemary scent, but not all indicators improved, and there was no advantage in completing certain tasks faster. Research on peppermint favors energy and alertness, while rosemary is more commonly associated with memory and general cognition.

You can try this method, but essential oils cannot be regarded as natural smart drugs. They are not on the same level as prescription stimulants.

• Practical Rating: ★★☆☆☆～★★★☆☆

6. Body Doubling: Work Alongside Someone Else

Body Doubling is very popular in the ADHD community, but the average person doesn’t know much about it. It's simple: Have another person work quietly next to you while you work. The two parties do not need to do the same thing. One can even write code, the other read a book, or turn on a video to complete tasks independently. It taps into light social oversight, a sense of responsibility and social presence.

Rigorous research is still sparse. Small studies on VR and AI work companions have appeared in 2026, and signals of faster task completion and higher subjective sustained attention have been observed, but the sample is still not enough to draw a definite conclusion.

• Simple process: Explain the goals to each other at 09:00, work quietly until 10:30, and then report the completion amount
• Applicable people: People who are prone to procrastination, have difficulty starting tasks, or are often distracted when working from home
• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

7. Try a Coffee Nap

Coffee Nap is also called a caffeine nap: you lie down for a short nap immediately after drinking coffee, and the caffeine starts to take effect when you wake up. Early experiments directly compared short naps, coffee plus a nap, a short nap plus bright light, and a face wash after a short nap, and the combination of caffeine and a short nap performed well in combating afternoon drowsiness. The mechanism is also easy to understand: a short nap first reduces sleep pressure, and then caffeine reduces the sleepiness caused by adenosine.

• Applicable situations: Slightly less sleep the night before, but still have important work in the afternoon
• Unsuitable period: When it is approaching evening or when you are sensitive to caffeine, avoid affecting your sleep at night
• Practical rating: ★★★★☆

8. Take a 3–5-Minute Walking Break

Simply standing up may not be the best way to refresh your brain when you interrupt a long period of sitting. A 2026 three-tier meta-analysis showed that interrupting prolonged sitting may bring about small improvements in acute executive function and memory, but the quality of the evidence is still low, with short, low-intensity walking looking more promising than standing in place. Some experiments have even found that attention or execution performance may deteriorate when standing continuously to complete high cognitive load tasks.

• Recommended rhythm: Work while sitting for 50 to 60 minutes, then walk for 3 to 5 minutes
• Not recommended: Work continuously for several hours at a height-adjustable table
• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

9. Slow Breathing at 5–6 Breaths per Minute

What I’m talking about here is not taking a few deep breaths randomly, but breathing slowly and rhythmically. A common rate in research is about 5 to 6 times per minute, such as inhaling for 5 seconds and exhaling for 5 seconds. A month-long randomized controlled study found that this type of training can change autonomic nervous system indicators such as heart rate variability and respiratory rate.

Slow breathing is not a stimulant, but is more suitable for unstable attention caused by excessive stress, anxiety, impatience, or confused thoughts. It re-stabilizes attention by reducing excessive physiological arousal; when you are already sleepy and about to fall asleep, slow breathing may actually make you sleepier.

• Practical usage: Practice for 3 to 5 minutes before in-depth work, and then directly enter the task
• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

10. NSDR and yoga nidra

NSDR stands for Non-Sleep Deep Rest, which has a lot of overlap with Yoga Nidra, body scanning and guided deep relaxation. A common process is to lie down, close your eyes, regulate your breathing, and gradually scan your body to enter a state of heightened relaxation while remaining awake. It's better positioned as a recovery tool after mental fatigue than as an instant focus-enhancing technology.

Randomized studies of yoga nidra suggest it may help sleep and stress markers, but evidence that NSDR directly improves attention or working memory is thin. One small study of sleep-deprived college students found no statistically significant improvements in Stroop attention tasks and N-back working memory. There is insufficient evidence to support claims on the Internet that 20 minutes of practice can replace several hours of sleep or significantly increase dopamine.

• Fair usage: Work for about 3 hours in the morning, do 10 to 20 minutes of NSDR after lunch, and then start the afternoon task
• Restore rating: ★★★☆☆
• Directly enhance concentration rating: ★★☆☆☆

Level 2: Promising Science, Noticeable Individual Variation

11. Binaural beats

Binaural beats are a sound technology often referred to as brainwave music. For example, if the left ear plays 400 Hz and the right ear plays 410 Hz, the brain will produce a subjective beat experience with a frequency difference of about 10 Hz. A 2019 meta-analysis that summarized 22 studies found moderate effect signals on outcomes such as cognition, anxiety, and pain; a subsequent systematic review of attention and memory also found some positive studies, but the overall results were clearly mixed. There will still be a meta-analysis of randomized trials on theta binaural beats in 2026, indicating that this field is still in the ongoing verification stage.

Existing evidence does not support the precise mapping of 8 Hz, 10 Hz, 14 Hz or 40 Hz to learning, relaxation, concentration and super memory. A more reasonable approach is to treat it as background sound and conduct personal AB testing in a quiet environment.

• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

12. White noise

White noise isn’t for everyone. A meta-analysis has found that for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or weak basic attention, white noise and pink noise may have a small positive effect; the control group without attention disorder has had a slight negative effect. When a quiet environment makes people unable to sit still, you can use the same type of tasks to test quiet and white noise respectively, and compare the error rate and completion amount, rather than just looking at subjective feelings.

• Positioning: A highly personalized environmental tool
• Notes: Keep the volume moderate and avoid long-term high sound pressure exposure

13. Brown noise

Brown noise has a stronger sense of low frequency and generally does not sound as harsh as white noise, so it is popular among people with attention deficits. However, the high-quality attention research on brown noise itself is far less than that on white noise, and many effects still remain at the level of personal experience. It can cover the sound of air conditioners, cars, colleagues talking, and doors opening and closing, which has practical value in itself; there is no evidence that it can adjust theta or beta brain waves to the so-called optimal state.

• Practical rating: ★★☆☆☆

14. Theanine and caffeine combination

L-Theanine is the amino acid found in tea. Caffeine can increase alertness, but may increase tension and jitteriness; theanine may make this state more stable. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that the combination of theanine and caffeine may produce small to moderate improvements in some attention tasks in the first few hours after ingestion, but the confidence intervals tended to be wide and the conclusions were still limited.

This combination is more substantiated than many complex nootropic supplement formulas, but it's still a minor optimization that doesn't go far enough to offset sleep deprivation. People who are sensitive to caffeine, are pregnant, have cardiovascular disease, or are taking medication should consult a professional first.

• Practical Rating: ★★★☆☆

15. Creatine as a Brain-Energy Supplement Candidate

Creatine is often thought of as a bodybuilding supplement, but the brain also uses creatine phosphate and the ATP energy system. A 2024 meta-analysis found the strongest evidence for memory. It also identified positive signals for processing speed, attention, and executive function, though certainty was substantially lower. People who are sleep-deprived or have unusually high cognitive energy demands may be more likely to notice an effect.

It would be more accurately positioned as a candidate for a mental performance supplement rather than a powerful concentration supplement. If you have kidney disease or other health problems, you should not supplement long-term on your own.

• Practical rating: ★★★☆☆

16. Spearmint Extract

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of long-term ingestion of a specific spearmint extract in 142 healthy adults observed improvements in sustained attention measures on days 30 and 90. However, the results of a single product and a single research system are easily affected by factors such as research design and sponsorship, and are currently not enough to support everyone’s purchase of spearmint supplements.

• Current positioning: Worth continuing to pay attention to, not worth spending money first
• Practical rating: ★★☆☆☆

17. Pair a Consistent Scent with Deep Work

Use the same light mint scent every time you do deep work and leave it out at other times. Over time, it may create situational clues. It’s akin to wearing a pair of headphones, turning on the same light, or playing the same background sound, and letting the environment gradually become your cue to start working. The direct high-quality evidence that odors form focused conditioned reflexes is not strong, but the cost is close to zero, which is also consistent with the habit formation mechanism.

• Direct evidence rating：★★☆☆☆
• Personal test value: ★★★★☆

18. Create a Consistent Work-Startup Ritual

Start working in the exact same order every day, such as putting the water on the right, putting on the headphones, putting the phone outside the door, turning on the same background sound, launching the development tools, writing down the first task and starting the clock. Similar rituals are also commonly used by athletes. It may not directly improve the attention ability of the nervous system, but it can reduce startup resistance and is valuable for long-term learning and remote work.

Level 3: Experimental Neuroscience and Biohacking

19. Neurofeedback Training

Neurofeedback uses a head-mounted EEG device to display brain activity in real time and trains the user to enter a target state. The theory is attractive, but many apparent benefits shrink substantially when sham feedback is used as a rigorous control. The technique has research value, but that does not mean an average person should spend about $1,200–$5,500 on a course of treatment.

• Practical rating: ★★☆☆☆

20. tDCS transcranial direct current stimulation

tDCS applies very weak direct current through scalp electrodes to change the excitability of parts of the brain. The prefrontal lobe, working memory, attention, and learning have been studied for many years, and positive results have indeed emerged. But stimulation location, current, polarity, timing, and individual anatomical differences can all change effects, and results vary widely between studies. Purchasing consumer-grade equipment to stimulate the prefrontal lobes on your own is not guaranteed to improve concentration and may also be risky, so it is not recommended to try it on your own.

21. tACS Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

tACS is similar to tDCS but uses alternating current. Researchers hope to use specific frequencies to influence brain oscillations such as theta, alpha or gamma. This idea is called brain synchronization or brain entrainment. The theory and experiments are interesting, but they are still far from stable, repeatable personal applications and should be considered experimental techniques for now.

22. tPBM transcranial photobiomodulation

tPBM, the full name of Transcranial Photobiomodulation, uses red light or near-infrared light to illuminate the forehead, hoping to affect mitochondrial function and cerebral blood flow through photobiomodulation. Among existing systematic reviews, meta-analyses of healthy young adults did observe improved signals in attention, memory, and learning, but the number of studies was small, the overall quality was average, and heterogeneity was high.

• Scientific potential: ★★★★☆
• Current personal practicality: ★☆☆☆☆
• Conclusion: Suitable for continuing scientific research, not suitable for impulse purchase of so-called infrared brain lights

23. VR or AI work companion

VR Body Double and AI Body Double bring work companionship into the virtual environment: a virtual character who focuses on work appears next to the user, or is accompanied by AI to complete tasks, using social presence to create light supervision. Small studies and research frameworks have emerged in 2025-2026, but the evidence is still far from mature. At this stage, it is easier to find real people to work with quietly than to buy complicated equipment.

24. Closed-loop neurostimulation

Closed-loop neurostimulation goes one step further than ordinary tDCS: the system uses real-time EEG to detect a decrease in attention, and the algorithm determines the timing, and then uses sound, light or electrical stimulation to try to bring the brain state back to the target range. It is of interest in the fields of military, neuroscience, human-computer interaction and brain-computer interface, but is still a futuristic technology for the average consumer.

Level 4: Appealing Ideas That Are Hard to Recommend

25. Working Immediately After a Cold Shower

Cold water does bring about a strong sense of wakefulness, but physiological excitement does not equate to higher-level cognitive improvements. A systematic review covering 18 studies found that across 15 experimental conditions, acute cold exposure led to reduced cognitive performance involving processing speed, executive function, attention and memory. Ice baths may subjectively wake people up instantly, but it does not mean that working memory and attention control will improve.

• Subjective sobriety rating: ★★★★☆
• Cognitive performance rating: ★☆☆☆☆
• Conclusion: Ice baths should not be used as study drugs

26. Complex Work Immediately After a Sauna

Long-term health research in saunas is valuable, but there are no clear advantages to performing complex mental tasks immediately after a hot environment. Dehydration and heat load themselves may actually impair cognition. Sauna can be used as part of a recovery, relaxation and healthy lifestyle, but it is not suitable as a warm-up for mental work.

27. Fasting and Working on an Empty Stomach

The story that fasting puts ancestors into a hyper-focused state for hunting is an attractive one, but the evidence is not so tidy. Current studies on the effects of intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating on cognition still have problems such as small samples, more elderly participants, large differences in protocols, and inconsistent results. Some people are comfortable working in the morning on an empty stomach and can keep this arrangement, but there is no need to force yourself to go without eating for 18 hours in order to concentrate.

28. Dopamine Detox

A typical program bans cell phones, sugar, music, chat, games, and other entertainment for a day and claims to reset dopamine receptors. This explanation grossly oversimplifies neuroscience. Not using short videos for a day will not restore the so-called dopamine inventory to full, nor will it automatically gain super concentration the next day.

The really effective part of this approach is reducing the high-frequency distractions and immediate rewards brought by short videos, notifications, pornographic content, games and social media. Rather than pursuing detoxification, simply redesign your environment to make temptations less accessible.

29. Microdosing Psychedelics

Microdoses of LSD, or psilocybin, were once popular in Silicon Valley and promoted as a way to increase creativity, focus and problem-solving skills. Rigorous placebo-controlled studies have so far not proven that long-term microdose use in healthy people can steadily improve work focus. A 2024 review of controlled studies still concluded that the results are complex, the number of studies is small, and many cognitive advantages are not stable; real-life use also involves legal, dosage uncertainty, and psychological risks.

• Practical Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
• Conclusion: Productivity is not worth the risks

30. Treat nicotine as a nootropic

Nicotine does affect attention and alertness systems, so some have envisioned bypassing tobacco and using only nicotine to improve work performance. The problem is that dependency itself is a huge flaw. For healthy people to actively develop nicotine dependence for small, short-term performance changes, the risk-benefit is completely uneconomical.

31. Modafinil and so-called smart drugs

Modafinil has also been studied in healthy people, and a systematic review found it may improve attention, executive function and learning in certain complex tasks. But it is essentially a prescription drug that may increase certain indicators and does not preclude healthy people from working with it. If you have long-standing pathological daytime sleepiness or uncontrollable attention problems, the cause should be evaluated by a doctor rather than buying self-medication.

32. Extreme Breathing Techniques

Rapid hyperventilation, prolonged breath holding, and Wim Hof-style high-intensity breathing may cause dizziness, excitement, wakefulness, and physical numbness, but these feelings do not equate to improvements in complex cognitive abilities. It is more suitable to breathe slowly and steadily before working or studying. There is no need to practice until you feel dizzy. You should not try extreme breathing when you are prone to fainting, suffer from cardiovascular disease, are near water, drive, etc.

33. 40 Hz Gamma audio

The popularity of 40 Hz audio mainly comes from research on gamma oscillations, cognition, and neurodegenerative diseases. Experimental gamma entrainment is a valuable neuroscience direction, but 40 Hz learning music on a streaming platform is not the same thing as precisely controlled neural stimulation in the laboratory. There is currently no reason to think that ordinary 40 Hz network audio is necessarily better than regular background music without lyrics.

34. Isochronic Tones

Isochronic Tones is different from binaural beats. Instead of playing two frequencies to the left and right ears, Isochronic Tones directly makes the sound repeat at a fixed rhythm, hoping that the neural oscillations will be synchronized to the same frequency. The 14 Hz, 18 Hz or 40 Hz status comparison table on the Internet shows that the evidence is far weaker than the propaganda. It can be tried as a low-risk background sound at a moderate volume, but it's not worth trusting the miraculous ability to map precise frequencies.

• Practical rating: ★★☆☆☆

35. Fixed-Gaze Training and Trataka

Trataka is a visual fixation training in Indian yoga. It usually involves looking at a fixed point or candle for a long time. It is theoretically used to train sustained visual attention. There are some small sample results in modern studies, but the quantity and quality are nowhere near as good as standard mindfulness or focused attention meditation. It can be thought of as a visual version of mindfulness meditation, and there is no evidence that looking at a candle is more advanced than focusing on your breath. Also be aware of fire and eye discomfort when using candles.

10 Methods Most Worth Testing Yourself

Taking into account risk, cost, evidence and operability, the following 10 methods are best for personal testing. Rankings are not absolute performance promises, but priority recommendations.

• 1st place: 20-30 minutes natural environment restoration — ★★★★★
• 2nd place: Body Doubling — ★★★★☆
• No. 3: Increase light during the day — ★★★★☆
• No. 4: Take a short nap after coffee — ★★★★☆
• No. 5: Walking short distances between work — ★★★★☆
• No. 6: Chewing sugarless gum — ★★★☆☆
• No. 7: Breathe slowly for 3 to 5 minutes — ★★★☆☆
• No. 8: Mint smell — ★★★☆☆
• 9th place: 10~20 minutes NSDR — ★★★☆☆
• No. 10: Binaural Beats and White Noise AB Test — ★★★☆☆

Putting Them Together: A Low-Cost Focus System

It is not necessary to use all of these methods. You can choose two or three items from the schedule below, execute them continuously for one to two weeks, and then decide whether to retain them based on the completion amount, error rate and subjective fatigue.

• 08:30: Enter a bright environment, use a fixed and slight mint scent
• 08:35: Breathe slowly for 3 minutes
• 08:40～10:00: Work quietly with your work partners, put your mobile phone in another room; chew sugarless gum when needed, and compare the effects of silence and binaural beats
• 10:00: Walk outdoors for 10 to 15 minutes
• 10:15～11:30: Complete the second round of in-depth work
• After lunch: Depending on the degree of sleepiness, choose between a short nap after coffee and 10 to 20 minutes of NSDR
• 13:30～15:00: Complete the third round of work
• 15:00: Walk to the park or outdoors for 20 to 30 minutes
• 15:30: Start the fourth round of work

The focus of this set is not on stacking skills, but on low-risk means of managing alertness, mental fatigue, and environmental distractions. Dealing with sleep, exercise, and digital distractions first, and then choosing the most effective personal combination of natural exposure, bright light, short walks, work companionship, and restorative rest is often more practical than buying a ton of nootropic supplements.