Meditation may not be something you have considered before, but it can be a great tool to help you stay focused as you begin your firefighter promotional exam prep and a valuable skill for life. Keep reading to discover the benefits of meditation and how it could help you pass your firefighter promotional exam.
Increases Focus
Meditation sessions, even in people who are inexperienced at it, are shown to improve attention control with a meditation session as short as ten minutes. So if your mind tends to wander when you study or take tests meditation may be beneficial for you as a means to improve your focus and concentration. To get the most out of meditating it is best to study right after a meditation session when your focus is at its peak.
Reduces Stress
Meditation is a huge stress reducer. Meditation has been proven to cause a “moderate reduction of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress.” This means meditation can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and even pain because meditation actually changes the proportions of your brain. Meditation decreases the amount of cells in the part of your brain responsible for stress and anxiety, the amygdala. As your amygdala shrinks so does your stress and anxiety. This could be beneficial, especially to firefighters, even beyond studying for your firefighter promotional exam.
Improves Memory
Meditation can also help you do better on your firefighter promotional exam because it can improve memory. Meditation improves memory in a similar way that it decreases stress, by increasing the thickness of the part of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory, the hippocampus. As silly as meditation may seem on the surface, it may be worth it to give your brain the extra boost it needs to retain all of the new information you are learning for your firefighter promotional exam.
Sleep Better
Sleep is so important when it comes to taking your firefighter promotional exam, and just being a functional human being. Meditation has been a proven treatment for chronic insomnia. Meditation may be the trick you have been looking for to help you get a good night's sleep and get the rest back in your life.
Increases Relaxation
First responders are used to being in a state of high-alert, but they don’t need to be when they are off duty. Meditation is a way to help teach your body when it can just relax. Add studying for a potentially life changing test to the mix and the stress levels can skyrocket. Give yourself a break by treating your body to a short meditation session. Try it before your firefighter promotional exam to help calm your nerves, but also use it to help yourself turn off when you are off duty.
The Takeaway
Meditation may be the extra stress-relieving, brain boosting, thing you need to help you ace your firefighter promotional exam. Meditation is not just beneficial while you are studying for your firefighter promotional exam, it can also benefit you once you get promoted and in your everyday life. Don’t be embarrassed to give it a try! There are tons of meditation apps and videos out there to help you get started.