Medical Articles

Doodling Boosts Concentration!

14.06.2026

You may have experienced the urge to doodle aimlessly on a piece of paper in front of you during meetings or while studying. Even U.S. President John F. Kennedy notoriously doodled dominoes during the Cuban Missile Crisis. While doodling used to be seen as a sign of distraction, recent research suggests that it may actually be a powerful ally for concentration.

Psychologist Jackie Andrade asked 40 participants to listen to a monotonous 2.5-minute voicemail message. Naturally, they were not told beforehand that they would be given a memory test after listening to the recording. Half of the participants doodled (by coloring in shapes) while listening to the message, while the other half did nothing. As a result, the group that doodled recalled 29% more information. Additionally, Dr. Giliya Kaimar and her team studied blood flow in the brains of participants while they were doodling and during breaks. The results showed that blood flow was significantly more active in the brain while doodling than during rest periods. Furthermore, in surveys conducted before and after the experiment, many participants reported feeling that their problem-solving skills and creativity had improved.

According to the researchers, doodling helps calm the amygdala in the brain’s medial temporal lobe. It also reduces stress and lowers cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, thereby improving concentration. This doodling doesn’t necessarily have to involve drawing detailed pictures or filling in shapes. Apparently, simply drawing circles on a piece of paper with one hand is highly effective. It’s definitely something worth trying the next time you’re performing a repetitive task, like memorizing vocabulary. Of course, just be careful not to get too absorbed in the doodling itself!

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