The secret to concentration - How to increase your attention span | DW Documentary

Constant stimuli, digital distractions - how can we stay focused these days? Does talent, training, or technology help? Neuroscientists and mental coaches show how concentration works in the brain. In an increasingly demanding world, we seem to be able to concentrate less and less. How does our brain manage to focus, even when we’re constantly exposed to distractions? This documentary accompanies a top athlete, an air traffic controller trainee, and an e-sports professional on their journeys in search of maximum focus. Swimming world champion Angelina Köhler has to be fully focused for a certain number of seconds to win a race. How does she prepare for this? According to Angie Köhler, the mind is crucial: "The sequences we train in swimming are so precise and technical that if you're not focused, you can't perform them quickly. If you can't concentrate properly, you lose." Jan Peter Konopinsky is a trainee air traffic controller. He has to maintain his concentration for several hours at a time. He can’t afford to make mistakes, because human lives depend on him. Dennis "Denninho" Malcherczyk is an "eFootballer" playing in the virtual Bundesliga. He trains for several hours every day. He, too, must be fully focused: His success depends on his reaction speed, analytical skills, and ability to recall hundreds of key combinations at the right moment. Does his talent for multitasking help him? Once each of these three subjects have created the right training and working environment for themselves, things sometimes go so well that they forget time, space, and everything around them. Then, they’re in the flow. Flow is considered a mental state of complete immersion, a state of highest concentration. It’s a chief field of interest for researchers like Prof. Dr. Corinna Peifer from the University of Lübeck. She’s investigating how flow can be measured, among other things. Neuroscientist Dr. Henning Beck and ‘mental coach’ Thomas Baschab observe the three subjects, describing what’s happening in their bodies and minds. Their insights are valuable to anyone wanting to improve their own concentration. #documentary #dwdocumentary #dwdocs ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ‬ ⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumentary ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumental ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdocarabia ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdochindi ⮞ DW Dokumenter (Indonesian): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDokumenter ⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdoku For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610 Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/ Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G