Is this the key to successful exam revision? Study hard . . . and then go for a few drinks

A GOOD revision strategy typically involves handwritten notes, cue cards, and, if over 18, staying sober.

But the best way to retain information for an exam or work presentation might be a few drinks afterwards.

Drinking alcohol after putting the textbooks away can help facts stick in your mind, according to a study by the University of Exeter.

The morning after drinking alcohol, people did better in a test of previously learned words than those who stayed sober. It is well known that alcohol causes your memory of the night before to be hazy – but this may free it up to store memories from earlier.

As part of the study, 88 people were asked to learn 24 made-up words, such as ‘frenzylk’. They were then free to drink a much as alcohol they liked for two hours, averaging four units, roughly equivalent to a glass and a half of red wine. The group was tested 18 hours later to see how much they remembered – with those who drank being most successful.

The study’s co-author, Professor Celia Morgan, said: ‘Our research not only showed that those who drank alcohol did better when repeating the word-learning task, but that this effect was stronger among those who drank more ... The theory is that the hippoc- ampus – the brain area really important in memory – switches to “consolidating” memories, transferring from short into longerterm memory.’

The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, states: ‘Rather than the wholly negative effect that alcohol is presumed to have on memory, this study suggests that there may be some subtle enhancing effects.’

The study also suggests that alcohol can increase the amount of deep sleep someone has, which is ‘crucial’ to long-term memory.

However, researchers stressed the results should be considered alongside the established negative effects of excessive alcohol on memory and mental and physical health.