A new study confirms that Alpha waves can diminish your attention and cause you to make mistakes.  

According to the study, led by researchers at the University of California and the Donders Institute of the Netherlands, the appearance of Alpha waves, while trying to focus on a cognitive task can be the reason why we sometimes make mistakes such as spilling a cup of coffee or failing to notice a stop sign. It can also explain the source of the difficulties that ADHD individuals experience when trying to perform a task that requires sustained attention. These unwanted Alpha waves interfere with the regular Beta waves that are present when a cognitive task is executed.  

Generally, Alpha waves are in use during daydreaming or when a person closes his eyes. However, if an Alpha wave (that comes from the back of the brain) moves to the frontal cortex while trying to concentrate on a task, this will create a cognitive lapse that will result in some form of an error. Although an important discovery, this is not entirely new. Neuro-cognitive specialists have known for some time that individuals with ADHD maintain an excessive amount of slow brain waves (Alpha and/or Theta waves) that prevent the frontal lobes from being fully engaged and are therefore, unable to sustain attention when required and for as long as it is required. ADHD is a neurological impairment that a person is born with.  

However, the brain is quite an amazing organ that can adjust and upgrade itself if it is taught how to do it (an ability commonly referred to as “neuroplasticity”). The programs developed at the ACEclinics can train the brain to reduce slow brain wave activity such as Alpha and Theta and increase the production Beta 1 and Beta 2 waves, which as a result will improve the overall ability to focus, concentrate, remember and process information adequately.