We all know that you need a great snack selection when working on your firefighter promotional exam prep, but what should you be drinking? Keep reading to find out what beverage will best accompany your study sessions to keep you hydrated and healthy. 

1. Coffee

Coffee is a great study aid because caffeine is a concentration aid and helps you stay awake and focused while you are studying. Coffee also increases the amount of information your brain can process by increasing brain entropy, which in layman's terms is the brain's ability to process unpredictable stimuli, making you more alert. That’s not all, coffee also increases concentration and can boost your mood. So if you are a coffee drinker, pour yourself a cup before you practice your promotional exam study guides and see what happens. If you are going to have a late night study session you may want to hold off on the coffee because it may make it difficult to fall asleep after, and remember caffeine is always best in moderation. 

2. Orange Juice

If you aren’t a coffee drinker, or want to avoid the caffeine, try a glass of orange juice. Vitamin C is crucial to brain health because it can protect against mental decline and it is found in high quantities in orange juice. VItamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals that want to cause damage to your brain cells. Incorporate some orange juice into your diet, and give your brain an extra boost while you are working on your firefighter promotional exam studying. 

3. Green Tea

Green tea is another drink you should add to your diet that helps reduce cognitive decline. Tea drinkers are shown to have better cognitive function than non tea drinkers. This is because tea drinkers have a more organized brain, their brain regions are shown to be connected in a more organized way. Not only does green tea increase cognition, it also has a positive effect on one’s mood, and it is so important to be in a positive mood while studying for your firefighter promotional exam. Green tea also aids in cardiovascular disease prevention. If you are not a tea drinker now, there is no time like the present to start while you are working on your online study guides. 

AVOID These:

1. Sugary Drinks

Sugar is bad for the brain. Soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks are packed full of sugar so it is best to avoid them when studying for your firefighter promotional exam. Sugar has been proven to decrease memory. Sugar also has been shown to decrease brain volume, specifically in the hippocampus region of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory. So ditch the sugary drinks and try some of the alternatives listed above to give your brain some extra help while you are studying for your promotional exam. 

2. Alcohol

Sure alcohol can make you feel good, but you may want to avoid it while studying for your firefighter promotional exam. According to a Harvard study alcohol, similar to sugar, causes hippocampus shrinkage. This means it is best to avoid drinking at all while you are studying if you want to get the highest score on your firefighter promotional exam. The study states that brain volume shrinks in relation to alcohol consumption so the more you drink, the more it shrinks. If you have big plans for a night out on the town in the middle of your promotional exam prep, be sure to drink in moderation to keep your brain healthy. 

The Takeaway 

Optimize your preparations for your firefighter promotional exam by choosing the right beverage to drink when you are studying. Remember a drink is not going to make you a genius overnight though. It is important to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise and have a study plan in place.