The Science of Attention

Research by Amishi Jha at the University of Miami demonstrates that attention is a trainable resource that depletes with use and recovers with rest. Like a muscle, focused attention fatigues after sustained effort and strengthens through structured practice.

Her studies with military personnel showed that mindfulness training preserved attention under extreme stress while untrained groups experienced significant decline. Eight weeks of practice produced measurable improvements in sustained attention, working memory, and emotional regulation.

This research moves mindfulness from spiritual practice to cognitive science.