Why is it I sometimes play better when I drink alcohol?
First of all, you need to separate actual level of play from perceived level of play. Alcohol can affect both. For some people, a small amount of alcohol can actually increase relaxation and result in less tense (and better) play. For much more info, see “Beer-goggle effects” (BD, June, 2008). Here’s the featured diagram in the article:
Here’s an article from Wired magazine (May, 2015) with some citations of scientific studies on the matter. And here’s another interesting article by Tonic magazine: Why You’re Better at Beer Pong After a Few Drinks (March, 2017).
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