Eric First, M.D., FAIS and Matthew Roberts, Ph.D.

Six months into 2023 and that means it’s the perfect time to start improving your brain health, maximizing your memory, focus, and overall productivity. It’s also one of the craziest times in recent history, and there are plenty of distractions everywhere you turn. 

Even the most determined and focused people are no match for such a chaotic and distracting world. With the ongoing saga of the COVID-19 pandemic and much more going on, focusing is harder than ever – but it’s far from impossible.

If you’re struggling to stay on task and manage the stress of your workday, you’re not alone, and there are a number of ways to get back on track.

At R3SET, we’re determined to help everyone conquer stress in healthy, natural ways. That’s why we created R3SET CALM and R3SET UNWIND, our morning and evening supplements for stress support. These easy-to-take capsules are made with high-quality natural and botanical active ingredients in a unique  blend specially designed to keep you on task during the day and help you wind down and rest at night*.

In this post, we’ll be talking about some of the best ingredients to include in your daily routine if you’re struggling to stay on task, remember your daily obligations, and experiencing mental fatigue throughout the day. 

These ingredients are included in R3SET’s supplements, which makes our capsules convenient and time-saving, where we have done the homework on types and amounts of these active ingredients, to help you conquer stress and stay productive.

Let’s get started!

Why It’s So Hard To Focus

Staying on task is tough. If you’re reading this during the workday, chances are your career involves use of a digital device, and that means that the expansive and distracting world of the internet is just a few clicks away at any time. There are plenty of rabbit holes to go down, social media accounts to check, messages and notifications coming in from all directions, and other sources of distraction everywhere you turn.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to work from home. Without coworkers, supervisors, and bosses around, staying focused can be harder than ever. 

While your home might be a quieter environment than the office (or not), working from home presents its own set of unique challenges that you wouldn’t deal with in a traditional office environment. 

When you work from home, there’s far more potential to get off track, veg out in front of the TV, or simply crawl back into bed and sleep when you should be working. Coworkers can provide you with some helpful accountability and can stop you from losing track of time and slacking off in a distracted state. 

However, if you’re working on your own at home, there’s practically no one to help you stay focused besides your family and pets – and they might not be any help at all. 

So, what nootropic supplements can help you focus, improve mental performance, increase energy levels and help you stay on task throughout the day? Let’s find out.

L-Theanine 

Another focus-boosting ingredient that people commonly get from tea, L-Theanine is a member of a group of compounds known as non-essential amino acids. This amino acid is one of the primary compounds found in green and black tea, as well as in certain mushrooms. It’s known for its calming effect on the mind, as well as for providing a boost of focus and mental energy. 

As a component in green and black tea, L-Theanine is responsible for the focus-inducing properties possessed by these popular drinks. L-Theanine can be a great ingredient to paired with caffeine, as it can support a calm yet energizing mental energy that you get from this popular stimulant*. L-Theanine can also help you manage feelings of everyday tension and stress*.

GABA helps to keep your body and mind’s stress responses in check. This neurotransmitter helps to prevent your nervous system’s fight-or-flight response from kicking in when it isn’t needed. The fight-or-flight response involves the release of the chemicals norepinephrine, epinephrine (formerly known as; noradrenaline, adrenaline), which can help you react quickly in a situation where your life is threatened. 

However, chronic stress, which is a common problem, can engage your fight-or-flight response even when there’s no threat present.

Since GABA helps to regulate the normal release of chemicals associated with stress, and L-Theanine is linked to increased levels of GABA in the brain, L-Theanine can be an excellent source of a much-needed boost of calm and mental energy throughout the day. 

If you’re concerned about the caffeine content in black and green tea, the two primary sources of L-Theanine, we highly recommend taking the amino acid as a supplement.

L-Theanine is one of the main ingredients in R3SET’s Calm capsules. We chose to include this ingredient in our daytime stress-support formula to help you stay on task, support cognition, and help maintain a calm mind without the need for cup after cup of coffee*. 

We’ve found that coffee can perk you up for a bit, but then tends to lead to a sharp dip in focus and mental energy. L-Theanine, on the other hand, can help you sustain focus and mental energy throughout the day*.

Chamomile 

If you tend to feel restless and scatterbrained after a long day of work, chamomile is the perfect supplement for you. 

Many people enjoy drinking chamomile tea as a bedtime ritual. The tea’s soothing, mellow flavor makes it the perfect drink to enjoy before bed. However, if you’re not a big fan of tea, you can also calm your mind and help yourself unwind by taking a chamomile supplement before bed.

Chamomile, like L-Theanine, has been linked to increased levels of GABA in your brain. If you’re struggling to calm down before bed and can’t seem to focus on nighttime tasks, chamomile may be just what you need. 

Vitamin D 

If you’re struggling to stay on task during the day, it may be a sign that you are dealing with vitamin D deficiency. 

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it’s produced in small amounts by your body and can be stored in your body for longer periods of time. In addition, you can get fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D from food. These nutrients are best absorbed when consumed with dietary fats – hence the term “fat-soluble.” Other fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Vitamin D deficiency develops when you don’t get enough of this essential nutrient from food, supplements, or sunlight. One of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency is mood problems, and one of the symptoms of this emotional imbalance is trouble focusing. Thus, preventing a vitamin D deficiency is essential for maintaining focus and mental energy and avoiding a cognitive decline. 

If you’re finding yourself getting distracted throughout the day, it may be helpful to visit your physician to seek medical advice and get your nutrient levels checked. Your doctor can administer a blood test to determine whether you are dealing with a vitamin D deficiency. 

While nutrient deficiencies can cause some problematic and uncomfortable symptoms, these symptoms typically go away once you get your nutrient levels back to normal.

Supplementing with vitamin D is one of the best ways to prevent and reverse a deficiency. In addition to helping you avoid mood issues and focusing problems, getting enough vitamin D can also support a healthy immune system which can be affected by stress..

Ahiflower Oil 

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients for cognitive health and are often found in fatty fish like salmon, vegetables like spinach as well as vegetable oils and nuts. Without enough omega-3s, you may find yourself more vulnerable to problems with memory and mental clarity. 

A good source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids is Ahiflower oil. Many of the most popular omega-3 dietary supplements are made with fish oil, which makes them off-limits for anyone adhering to a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Taking ahiflower oil supplements can help you maintain healthy levels of omega-3’s and is a great substitute to fish oil supplements for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet. 

Summary 

While staying on task in a distraction-filled world can be tough, these natural ingredients can all be helpful components in your stress-supporting, focus-boosting routine. Vitamin D, chamomile, L-Theanine, and ahiflower oil are all included in R3SET’s supplements, which are designed to help you focus throughout the day and help you naturally de-stress and decompress at night*.

Instead of relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms to get through the workday, stick to beneficial, active natural botanical ingredients like the ones we’ve discussed in this post as the sources of that much-needed boost of focus and mental energy. 

While others might turn to nicotine, excessive caffeine consumption, and other potentially harmful habits to help them perk up when the day gets long, sticking with mild, calming ingredients can help you avoid dependencies, side effects, and increased health risks that can come with less-healthy methods of getting through the day.

If you’re curious about the science behind R3SET products, make sure to check out our blog. There, you’ll find plenty of information about the three key systems within your body that are impacted by stress, why stress management is so important and much more.

 *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201708/what-you-need-know-about-l-theanine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908269/