What impacts the attention span according to cognitive functions?

The choice highlighting anxiety and fatigue is well-supported by cognitive research that shows both factors can significantly alter an individual's attention span. Anxiety often leads to increased levels of stress hormones, which can divert attention away from tasks and make it difficult to focus. This can create a constant state of distraction, making it challenging to maintain sustained attention. On the other hand, fatigue, whether from lack of sleep or mental exhaustion, negatively impacts cognitive functions, including the ability to concentrate. As a person becomes more fatigued, their working memory diminishes, resulting in a shorter attention span.

While factors such as stress and relaxation, nutrition and hydration, and practice and experience do play roles in attention span, anxiety and fatigue are particularly notable for their immediate and pronounced effects on cognitive performance. Stress and relaxation are related; too much stress can narrow focus but can also lead to burnout. Nutrition and hydration support overall brain function but are less directly tied to immediate changes in attention span compared to anxiety and fatigue. Similarly, practice and experience can enhance focusing skills over time but do not address the acute impacts of anxiety or fatigue that can shorten attention spans in the moment.