Alcohol buzz boosts creativity

This news should make you feel a little smugger when celebrating the New Year festivities: according to a new study, an alcohol buzz boosts creativity. The study, published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, surveyed 40 men ages 21 to 30, asking them to complete verbal puzzles, with half of the men given enough vodka to get their blood alcohol content to just below the legal limit—while the other half were sober.  The results show that those who’d had a drink solved problems faster than those who stayed sober (taking an average of 11.5 seconds versus 15.2). Furthermore, out of 20 problems, they tipsy group correctly solved nine versus six for the sober set. Jennifer Wiley, Ph.D. and coauthor of the study explained that when it comes to puzzles or tasks requiring relaxation and flexibility, drinks can spark creativity and manipulate focus. Bear in mind, however, that this does refer to an occasional tipple; University of Missouri researchers have found that when you’re intoxicated, the signals that warns your brain of an impending mistake become significantly duller than when you’re sober.