A beer can cut tension, helping ease cognitive function, a new study said.
But don’t get out the beer funnel just yet.
Researchers determined that while drinking a beer helps improve problem solving skills and boosts creative thinking, having too much impairs concentration and memory ability, according to the study in the journal Consciousness and Cognition.
The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Graz, Austria, using a placebo-controlled design, gave 70 volunteers an alcoholic beer and a nonalcoholic beer to drink, a documentary about South Africa to watch, then a test to complete about 30 minutes later and a word game in conclusion.
Those who drank beer performed better on the test. Those who drank the nonalcoholic beer both times saw no improvement.
"While many activities usually benefit from high cognitive control, some may actually suffer from too much focus," lead researcher Mathias Benedek told The Sun.
“Creative problem-solving tasks are often solved by spontaneous insight and accompanied by ‘Aha’ experiences. Alcohol may reduce fixation effects by loosening the focus of attention and therefore impede the building and maintenance of dominant but inappropriate thoughts.”
That is not to say that creativity is wrought by alcohol, Benedek said.
“Beneficial effects are likely restricted to very modest amounts of alcohol, whereas excessive alcohol consumption typically impairs creative productivity,” he said.
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