A systematic review of the next-day effects of heavy alcohol consumption on cognitive performance

What is it about?

We reviewed the literature exploring the cognitive effects of alcohol hangover and included studies in our review if they met the definition of a hangover and were sufficiently rigorous in their methodology. When results were combined in meta-analysis, there were overall impairments in short-term memory, long-term memory, sustained attention, and psychomotor skills.

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Why is it important?

Alcohol related workplace absenteeism, which includes hangover, costs the UK economy £1.9 billion a year, yet the impact on productivity for those who do go to work is unknown. Understanding how hangovers influence our cognitive processes may allow us to overcome some of the negative consequences of a hangover and better inform businesses, policy makers, and individual drinkers.