A recent study conducted by the University of East London confirmed one of the many benefits of drinking water – it can help improve your performance on exams. If you are a student or somebody who finds themselves in a position where you have to face particularly difficult tests or assessments, one of the biggest things you can do to improve your chances at passing is not only to study, but also to be sure that you know where the nearest water point is. The Study A total of 447 students at the University of East London and the University of Westminster were surveyed for this study. The goal was to study the water benefits to students and the impact of good hydration on exam scores. The study focused on psychology students, with 71 of the participants in their foundation year, 225 being first year students, and 151 being second year students. Of the study pool, 25% of the students went one step beyond relying on water coolers and brought bottled water into the exam room with them. The exam scores were then examined with academic ability taken into account. Students who were properly hydrated saw their test scores improve by as much as 10%. Additional Findings Students with more experience at taking exams were more likely to come prepared, with 31% of the second year students bringing bottled water with them compared to only 21% of foundation and first year students. The overall improvement on final scores for candidates who drank plenty of water was an average of 4.8%. Inexperienced students saw the most improvement, at an average of 5%, while second year students saw an increase of 2%. The largest improvement in grades for a single student was 10%. The findings of the study may affect how water is supplied in exam rooms, with one possible solution being the insertion of bottled water coolers into certain areas on campus. The Why of Water So why do people who visit water coolers before a test find their scores increasing? Dr. Chris Pawson of the University of East London thinks that good hydration may have both physical and psychological benefits. Water consumption can increase the thinking processes of the brain, leading to better recall and improved exam performance. Being hydrated and in good health can also reduce anxiety, meaning that there are fewer psychological stresses on students participating in the exams. Whatever the reason, this study reinforced ideas already explored in a lab setting and confirmed that drinking more water can be a huge benefit to students and to anybody else facing a stressful test. If you are about to engage in something stressful and mentally taxing, make sure that you know where the nearest water coolers are. By bringing some water into the room with you and making sure that you are properly hydrated, you will find the task at hand much easier to complete. Science has always known of the many benefits of drinking water, and this latest study confirms those findings once again.