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Total sleep time, alcohol consumption, and the duration and severity of alcohol hangover

DOI:10.2147/NSS.S136467
Authors:
Marith Van Schrojenstein Lantman at Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc)
Marith Van Schrojenstein Lantman
Marlou Mackus at Utrecht University
Marlou Mackus
Thomas Roth
Thomas Roth
Thomas Roth
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Joris Verster at Utrecht University
Joris Verster
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Abstract and Figures

Introduction An evening of alcohol consumption often occurs at the expense of sleep time. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between total sleep time and the duration and severity of the alcohol hangover. Methods A survey was conducted among Dutch University students to collect data on their latest alcohol hangover. Data on alcohol consumption, total sleep time, hangover severity, and duration were collected. Alcohol consumption and hangover severity and duration were compared for participants who (a) slept <5 hours, (b) slept between 5 and 7 hours, or (c) slept >7 hours. Results Data from N=578 students (40.1% men and 59.9% women) were included in the statistical analyses. Significant correlations were found between total sleep time and alcohol consumption (r=0.117, p=0.005), hangover severity (r= −0.178, p=0.0001) and hangover duration (r=0.168, p=0.0001). In contrast, total alcohol consumption did not correlate significantly with overall hangover severity or duration. Those who slept longer than 7 hours consumed significantly more alcohol (p=0.016) and reported extended hangover duration (p=0.004). However, they also reported significantly less severe hangovers (p=0.001) than students who slept <7 hours. Conclusion Reduced total sleep time is associated with more severe alcohol hangovers.
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Nature and Science of Sleep 2017:9 181–186
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
open access to scientific and medical research
Open Access Full Text Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S136467
Total sleep time, alcohol consumption, and the
duration and severity of alcohol hangover
Marith van Schrojenstein
Lantman1
Marlou Mackus1
Thomas Roth2
Joris C Verster1,3,4
1Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Division of Pharmacology,
Utrecht University, Utrecht, The
Netherlands; 2Sleep Disorders
and Research Center, Henry Ford
Health System, Detroit, Michigan,
USA; 3Institute for Risk Assessment
Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University,
Utrecht, The Netherlands; 4Centre
for Human Psychopharmacology,
Swinburne University, Melbourne VIC,
Australia
Introduction: An evening of alcohol consumption often occurs at the expense of sleep time.
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between total sleep time and the dura-
tion and severity of the alcohol hangover.
Methods: A survey was conducted among Dutch University students to collect data on their
latest alcohol hangover. Data on alcohol consumption, total sleep time, hangover severity,
and duration were collected. Alcohol consumption and hangover severity and duration were
compared for participants who (a) slept <5 hours, (b) slept between 5 and 7 hours, or (c) slept
>7 hours.
Results: Data from N=578 students (40.1% men and 59.9% women) were included in the
statistical analyses. Significant correlations were found between total sleep time and alcohol
consumption (r=0.117, p=0.005), hangover severity (r= –0.178, p=0.0001) and hangover duration
(r=0.168, p=0.0001). In contrast, total alcohol consumption did not correlate significantly with
overall hangover severity or duration. Those who slept longer than 7 hours consumed significantly
more alcohol (p=0.016) and reported extended hangover duration (p=0.004). However, they
also reported significantly less severe hangovers (p=0.001) than students who slept <7 hours.
Conclusion: Reduced total sleep time is associated with more severe alcohol hangovers.
Keywords: alcohol, hangover, duration, severity, total sleep time
Introduction
Due to next-day commitments, an evening of alcohol consumption often occurs at the
expense of total sleep time. The most frequently reported consequence of heavy alcohol
consumption is the alcohol hangover. The alcohol hangover refers to the combination
of mental and physical symptoms, experienced the day after a single episode of heavy
drinking, starting when blood alcohol concentration approaches zero.1
Only a few studies have investigated the relationship between heavy alcohol con-
sumption and subsequent sleep, and impact on next day functioning and mood. Finnigan
et al examined the next-day effects of consuming alcohol (blood alcohol concentration
[BAC] 0.10%) on psychomotor performance, subjective state, and quality of sleep.2
In this double-blind placebo-controlled study of 40 men who were moderate-to-heavy
social drinkers, no significant effects were found on psychomotor performance. How-
ever, after consuming alcohol subjects fell asleep faster, and reported reduced alertness
during the hangover state. McKinney and Coyle examined mood and anxiety in 48 social
drinkers the day after heavy drinking, and on an alcohol-free control day.3 Applying a
naturalistic study design, subjects consumed the amount, type of alcohol at their own
pace and venue of choice, without the presence of the investigators. However, they were
Correspondence: Joris C Verster
Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Division of Pharmacology,
Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99,
3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Tel +31 30 253 6909
Fax +31 30 253 7900
Email j.c.verster@uu.nl
Journal name: Nature and Science of Sleep
Article Designation: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Year: 2017
Volume: 9
Running head verso: van Schrojenstein Lantman et al
Running head recto: Sleep and alcohol hangover
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S136467
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van Schrojenstein Lantman et al
asked to limit drinking to between 10 pm and 2 am, but there
were no restrictions placed on the subjects, sleep behavior.
Heavy alcohol consumption had a negative impact on next-
day mood including increased anxiety levels. Disrupted
sleep was reported after alcohol consumption and fatigue
was significantly increased during the hangover state. These
data illustrate that drinking goes at the expense of sleep.
In the alcohol condition subjects went to bed significantly
later when compared to the alcohol-free day, resulting in a
significantly reduced total sleep time. The higher the intake
of alcohol, the shorter the corresponding sleep latency. After
alcohol, subjects qualified their sleep as less satisfying,
refreshing, or restful. Rohsenow et al investigated the impact
of heavy drinking on hangover, perceived sleep, and next-
day ship power plant operation.4 Maritime academy cadets
(n=61) consumed alcohol to achieve a BAC of 0.115%. Next
morning, 8 hours thereafter, they were tested. No significant
difference relative to the alcohol-free test day was observed in
performance on the diesel power plant simulator. While total
sleep time was not affected by alcohol consumption, subjects
reported significantly improved sleep quality and reduced
sleep latency after alcohol. In a subsequent study, Rohsenow
et al again examined the effects of heavy alcohol consumption
on sleep and neurocognitive functioning.5 This study further
examined whether drinks with low and high congener content
(vodka versus bourbon, respectively) had a differential impact
on sleep, and next-day hangover severity and performance
outcomes. Young, heavy, social drinkers (n=95) participated
in this double-blind study. After consuming alcohol to achieve
a BAC of 0.11%, subjects went to bed. Sleep was monitored
using polysomnography. During hangover, neurocognitive
performance showed significant impairment on tests combin-
ing sustained attention and rapid responding. Hangover sever-
ity correlated with poorer performance. Polysomnographic
assessments revealed that alcohol consumption decreased
sleep efficiency and rapid eye movement sleep, and increased
wake time and next-day self-reported sleepiness. Hangover
severity was significantly worse in subjects with reduced
sleep efficiency, and subjects with higher hangover severity
scores had a reduced total sleep time and spent less time in
rapid eye movement sleep. No significant difference on sleep
or performance outcomes was observed for drinks with low
or high congener content. However, hangover severity was
significantly worse after consuming bourbon. No significant
gender differences were observed.
Together, the findings from these studies support the
hypothesis that the interrelationship between heavy alcohol
consumption and subsequent sleep quality and duration may
have a significant impact on next day hangover severity, perfor-
mance impairment, and mood disturbances. Therefore, the aim
of the current analyses was to further examine the relationship
between total sleep time and sleep quality, and the duration and
severity of the alcohol hangover. To determine this, data from
Penning et al was analyzed from a survey on alcohol hangover.6
Methods
Dutch students were approached at different locations on
the campus of Utrecht University, and asked to complete a
retrospective survey. Written informed consent was obtained
from all participants; no formal ethics approval was required
to conduct this type of survey research, according to the
Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects
(CCMO). There was no participation rate recorded, but the
vast-majority of students were willing to complete the survey.
Data were collected on alcohol consumption during their
latest heavy drinking session, subsequent total sleep time,
and next day hangover severity. Overall hangover severity
was reported at every 2 hours after waking up (starting 4 am
until midnight). At each time point, participants could rate
their hangover severity on a scale ranging from 0 (absent)
to 10 (extreme). The area under the curve was computed to
reflect overall hangover severity, ranging from 0 (absent)
to 111 (extreme). In addition, the severity of 47 individual
hangover symptoms was scored on a scale ranging from 0
(absent) to 10 (extreme). 6
The number of alcoholic drinks consumed was recorded,
as was the start and stop time of drinking. This information,
together with data on body weight and gender, was used to
compute the estimated peak BAC (eBAC), using the modified
Widmark formula.7 Finally, start and stop time of sleep was
recorded to calculate total sleep time (TST).
Statistical analyses were conducted with SPSS, version
24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Alcohol consump-
tion, hangover severity, and duration were compared for
participants who (1) slept <5 hours, (2) slept between 5 and
7 hours, or (3) slept >7 hours. Subjects were included in the
analyses if they were aged 18–30 years and reported having
a hangover after consuming alcohol during the past month.
Results
Data from 578 students (40.1% men and 59.9% women) were
included in the statistical analyses. Their mean (SD) age was
20.0 (2.1) years and they consumed 20.5 (17.3) alcoholic
drinks weekly. On average, they experience 2.7 (2.4) hangover
days per month. On their latest heavy drinking occasions, they
consumed 8.3 (5.8) alcoholic drinks to achieve a mean (SD)
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Sleep and alcohol hangover
eBAC of 0.10 (0.1) %. The average duration of hangover since
their last drink was 18.4 (3.9) hours. The drinking session
was followed on average by 6.5 (2.1) hours of sleep. Table 1
summarizes the demographic data of the sample.
TST correlated significantly with hangover severity
(r=0.178, p=0.0001) and duration (r=0.168, p=0.0001),
total alcohol consumption (r=0.117, p=0.005), and eBAC
(r=0.123, p=0.003). As expected, eBAC correlated signifi-
cantly with alcohol consumed on the heavy drinking occa-
sion (r=0.806, p =0.0001) and weekly alcohol consumption
(r=0.302, p=0.0001). Weekly alcohol consumption also
significantly related to the number of alcoholic drinks con-
sumed on the latest heavy drinking occasion that resulted
in a hangover (r=0.530, p=0.0001). However, eBAC did
not significantly correlate with hangover severity (r=0.018,
p=0.664) or duration (r= –0.006, p=0.895). Similarly, total
alcohol consumption also did not significantly correlate with
overall hangover severity (p=0.953) and duration (p=0.563).
The majority of students (N=313) slept between 5 and
7 hours. Those who slept longer than 7 hours consumed
significantly more alcohol (9.3 versus 7.9 and 7.7 drinks,
p=0.016), reported extended hangover duration (19.2 versus
18.3 and 17.5 hours, p=0.004), but reported significantly
less severe hangovers (20.9 versus 23.9 and 27.5, p=0.001)
than students who slept 5–7 hours or <5 hours, respectively
(see Table 1).
When compared to men, women consumed significantly
less alcohol weekly (15.7 versus 27.7 drinks, p=0.0001),
and significantly less alcohol on their latest heavy drinking
episode (5.8 versus 12.0 drinks, p=0.0001). Accordingly,
eBAC was significantly lower in women when compared to
men (0.08% versus 0.13%, p=0.0001). Also, women slept
significantly shorter hours than men (6.2 versus 6.9 hours,
p=0.0001). However, the short TST, lower amounts of alco-
hol consumed, and eBAC were not reflected in significant
differences between women and men in hangover duration
(18.6 versus 18.1 hours, p=0.167) and hangover severity (24.5
versus 22.2, p=0.056).
Individual symptoms
TST correlated significantly with fatigue (r= –0.166,
p=0.0001), sleepiness (r= –0.118, p=0.005), reduced appetite
(r= –0.105, p=0.012), stomach pain (r= –0.098, p=0.020),
respiratory problems (r= –0.84, p=0.045), and impulsivity
(r= –0.083, p=0.049). Individual symptom severity scores
for each sleep group are summarized in Table 2.
Those with a TST over 7 hours reported significantly
less severe scores on fatigue (p=0.032) and feeling guilty
(p=0.038) when compared to those who slept 5 to 7 hours,
and significantly less severe scores on fatigue (p=0.0001),
sleepiness (p=0.004), and respiratory problems (p=0.005)
Table 1 Demographics of subjects
Overall <5 h sleep 5–7 h sleep >7 h sleep
Number of subjects (%) 578 (100) 95 (16.4) 313 (54.2) 170 (29.4)
Age (years) 20.0 (2.1) 19.7 (2.1) 19.9 (2.1) 20.5 (2.2)a
Weekly number of alcoholic drinks 20.5 (17.3) 16.3 (13.6) 20.4 (17.1) 23.1 (19.2)a
Number of hangovers per month 2.7 (2.4) 2.1 (1.7) 2.7 (2.6) 2.9 (2.4)
Number of alcoholic drinks on heavy drinking session 8.3 (5.8) 7.7 (5.5) 7.9 (5.5) 9.4 (6.3)b
eBAC (%) 0.10 (0.10) 0.08 (0.09) 0.10 (0.10) 0.12 (0.12)a
Hangover severity 23.5 (13.9) 27.5 (16.5) 23.9 (13.4) 20.9 (12.5)a
Hangover duration (h) 18.4 (3.9) 17.5 (4.4) 18.3 (3.7) 19.2 (3.9)a
Total sleep time (h) 6.5 (2.1) 3.4 (0.9) 6.0 (0.7) 9.0 (1.4)a–c
Notes: The hangover severity score ranges from 0 (absent) to 111 (extreme). aSignicant difference (p<0.05) between <5 h sleep group and >7 h sleep group; bsignicant
difference (p<0.05) between 5–7 h sleep group and >7 h sleep group; csignicant difference (p<0.05) between <5 h sleep group and 5–7 h sleep group.
Abbreviation: eBAC, estimated blood alcohol concentration.
Figure 1 Associations of total sleep time with alcohol consumption and the severity
and duration of the alcohol hangover.
Notes: Only signicant associations (p<0.05) are depicted. Red line indicates a
negative correlation; blue line indicates a positive correlation.
Abbreviation: eBAC, estimated blood alcohol concentration.
eBAC
Hangover
severity
Hangover
duration
Alcohol
on heavy
drinking
occasion
Total
sleep
time
Alcohol
per week
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van Schrojenstein Lantman et al
when compared to those who slept <5 hours. Compared to
those who slept <5 hours, those who slept 5 to 7 hours had
significantly less severe scores on fatigue (p=0.012), sleepi-
ness (p=0.011), respiratory problems (p=0.007), suicidal
thoughts (p=0.009), and pounding heart (p=0.046).
Discussion
Our study confirms that drinkers with reduced TST report
higher hangover severity scores after a night of heavy drinking.
Subjects who slept longer than 7 hours consumed significantly
more alcohol and reported an extended hangover duration.
Table 2 Individual hangover symptoms and their severity
Factor Symptoms Overall <5 h 5–7 h >7 h
1 Drowsiness Drowsiness 5.8 (2.9) 5.8 (3.1) 5.8 (2.8) 5.6 (3.0)
Fatigue 6.5 (2.6) 7.1 (2.7) 6.6 (2.4)c6.0 (2.7)a,b
Sleepiness 5.6 (3.1) 6.4 (3.0) 5.5 (3.0)c5.3 (3.1)a
Apathy 4.2 (3.3) 4.3 (3.5) 4.1 (3.2) 4.3 (3.4)
Weakness 4.4 (3.1) 4.4 (3.3) 4.5 (3.1) 4.4 (3.3)
2 Cognitive problems Confusion 1.1 (2.2) 1.0 (2.2) 1.1 (2.2) 1.3 (2.3)
Disorientation 1.4 (2.4) 1.3 (2.3) 1.4 (2.4) 1.6 (2.5)
Increased reaction time 3.4 (2.8) 3.4 (2.9) 3.3 (2.7) 3.6 (2.8)
Reduced alertness 3.7 (2.8) 3.5 (3.0) 3.7 (2.7) 3.9 (2.8)
Concentration problems 4.0 (3.3) 4.0 (3.2) 4.2 (3.0) 3.9 (3.0)
Memory problems 2.3 (2.9) 2.4 (2.9) 2.2 (2.9) 2.4 (3.0)
Clumsiness 2.2 (2.7) 2.1 (2.6) 2.2 (2.7) 2.2 (2.7)
3 Disturbed water balance Muscle pain 1.5 (2.5) 1.7 (2.6) 1.5 (2.6) 1.2 (2.5)
Dry mouth 5.1 (3.2) 5.0 (3.3) 5.0 (3.2) 5.3 (3.1)
Thirst 5.9 (3.0) 6.2 (2.9) 5.7 (3.1) 6.1 (2.8)
Tremor 1.9 (2.7) 2.2 (3.1) 1.9 (2.7) 1.7 (2.6)
Shivering 1.5 (2.5) 2.0 (2.8) 1.4 (2.4) 1.4 (2.4)
Sweating 1.4 (2.4) 1.6 (2.4) 1.5 (2.5) 1.2 (2.1)
Hot/cold ashes 0.9 (2.1) 0.9 (2.0) 1.0 (2.2) 0.8 (1.8)
Nystagmus 0.6 (1.6) 0.7 (1.5) 0.7 (1.8) 0.6 (1.6)
4 Mood disturbances Depression 0.8 (2.0) 1.0 (2.4) 0.7 (1.8) 0.9 (2.0)
Anxiety 0.3 (1.1) 0.4 (1.4) 0.3 (1.1) 0.3 (1.1)
Anger 0.3 (1.1) 0.4 (1.2) 0.3 (1.2) 0.3 (0.9)
Agitation 2.0 (2.6) 1.6 (2.2) 2.1 (2.6) 2.1 (2.6)
5 Balance problems Balance problems 1.6 (2.5) 1.5 (2.4) 1.5 (2.5) 1.7 (2.5)
Dizziness 2.0 (2.8) 2.5 (3.2) 2.0 (2.7) 1.9 (2.7)
Vertigo 1.9 (2.8) 2.3 (3.1) 1.8 (2.7) 1.9 (2.7)
Tinnitus 0.6 (1.7) 0.7 (1.7) 0.6 (1.7) 0.7 (1.7)
6 Gastrointestinal problems Nausea 4.6 (3.3) 4.5 (3.4) 4.7 (3.2) 4.5 (3.4)
Stomach pain 2.0 (2.7) 2.3 (3.0) 2.1 (2.8) 1.6 (2.5)
Gastrointestinal complaints 2.2 (2.9) 2.3 (3.1) 2.3 (2.9) 2.0 (2.9)
Gastritis 1.1 (2.3) 1.2 (2.3) 0.9 (2.1) 1.3 (2.5)
7 Respiratory and cardiovascular problems Palpitations 0.7 (1.9) 0.9 (2.1) 0.6 (1.8) 0.8 (1.8)
Pounding heart 0.8 (1.9) 1.1 (2.3) 0.7 (1.9)c0.7 (1.7)
Respiratory problems 0.4 (1.3) 0.8 (2.0) 0.3 (1.3)c0.2 (0.9)a
8 Impulsivity and blunted affect Restlessness 1.6 (2.6) 1.9 (3.0) 1.6 (2.5) 1.6 (2.6)
Blunted affect 1.3 (2.3) 1.4 (2.3) 1.3 (2.3) 1.3 (2.4)
Impulsivity 0.9 (2.1) 1.3 (2.5) 0.8 (2.0) 0.9 (2.1)
Loss of taste 1.1 (2.1) 1.6 (2.7) 0.9 (1.9) 1.2 (2.2)
9 Vomiting and feeling guilty Vomiting 1.3 (2.9) 1.2 (2.8) 1.2 (2.8) 1.6 (3.1)
Regret 1.2 (2.4) 1.3 (2.7) 1.1 (2.2) 1.3 (2.5)
Guilt 1.1 (2.2) 1.5 (2.7) 0.9 (1.9) 1.3 (2.4)b
Reduced appetite 3.4 (3.4) 4.1 (3.8) 3.3 (3.3) 3.2 (3.5)
10 Headache Headache 5.0 (3.1) 5.0 (3.1) 5.0 (3.1) 5.1 (3.1)
Photosensitivity 1.4 (2.4) 1.3 (2.4) 1.4 (2.3) 1.4 (2.4)
Audio sensitivity 1.4 (2.3) 1.3 (2.6) 1.4 (2.2) 1.5 (2.4)
11Suicidal thoughts Suicidal thoughts 0.1 (0.8) 0.3 (1.5) 0.0 (0.3)c0.1 (0.8)
Notes: Data represented as mean (SD). Symptoms are grouped according to the factor analysis. Data from Penning et al.6 aSignicant difference (p<0.05) between <5 h sleep
group and >7 h sleep group; bsignicant difference (p<0.05) between 5–7 h sleep group and >7 h sleep group; csignicant difference (p<0.05) between <5 h sleep group and
5–7 h sleep group.
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Sleep and alcohol hangover
However, at the same time they reported having significantly
less severe hangovers. The latter suggests that sleep has a
positive effect on relieving alcohol hangover. TST was most
strongly related to sleep-related individual hangover symptoms
such as fatigue and sleepiness. Interestingly, short versus nor-
mal and long sleep did not significantly differ in severity scores
of most commonly reported hangover symptoms. This obser-
vation demonstrates that some frequently reported hangover
symptoms associated with moderate to high severity scores
such as nausea and headache are independent of possible acute
sleep deprivation after an evening of alcohol consumption.
Those with the shortest sleep durations consumed sig-
nificantly less alcohol and had a much lower eBAC. From
the present methodology, it is not possible to determine
whether drinkers were aware of having limited time in bed,
for example, due to a scheduled appointment next morning,
and therefore reduced their alcohol intake relative to those
who had the opportunity of unrestricted sleep. Future research
should further investigate the impact of restricted versus
unrestricted sleep opportunity on alcohol consumption and
the severity and duration of the alcohol hangover.
A limitation of this study was that TST was the only sleep
outcome assayed. No information was collected on sleep qual-
ity, nightly awakenings, time to sleep onset, or other potentially
relevant parameters. Also, no objective measurements such
as polysomnography or actigraphy were made to strengthen
our observations. Future research using a prospective study
design should implement the objective assessments. Apply-
ing a prospective study design would also eliminate possible
recall bias, which is always an issue in retrospective survey
research. It would also be of interest to include psychometric
assessments in future studies. Although it is known that cog-
nitive and psychomotor functioning and daily activities such
as driving a car may be impaired during alcohol hangover,8,9
the impact of variations in TST on performance during the
hangover state has not received adequate research attention.
The observation that TST is significantly related to hangover
severity does however predict that variations in TST may also
affect daily activities during the hangover state such as driving
a car or job performance. Finally, it should be kept in mind that
the direction of the association between total sleep time and
alcohol consumption and hangover severity is unknown. From
the current survey data, cause and effect cannot be determined.
Conclusion
The current data confirm that an evening of heavy drinking
often occurs at the expense of total sleep time. Reduced sleep
time is associated with more severe hangovers.
Acknowledgment
An abstract containing interim findings of this paper was
presented as a poster at the 2014 British Association for
Psychopharmacology meeting. The poster’s abstract was
published in Journal of Psychopharmacology 2014, 28
(supplement to #8): A19.
Disclosure
Joris C Verster has received grants/research support from
the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment,
Janssen, Nutricia, Red Bull, and Takeda, and has acted
as a consultant for the Canadian Beverage Association,
Centraal Bureau Drogisterijbedrijven, Coleman Frost,
Danone, Deenox, Eisai, Janssen, Jazz, Purdue, Red Bull,
Sanofi-Aventis, Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical, Sepracor, Takeda,
Transcept, Trimbos Institute, and Vital Beverages. Thomas
Roth has received grants/research support from Aventis,
Cephalon, GlaxoSmithKline, Neurocrine, Pfizer, Sanofi,
Schering-Plough, Sepracor, Somaxon, Syrex, Takeda, Trans-
Oral, Wyeth, and XenoPort and has acted as a consultant for
Abbott, Acadia, Acoglix, Actelion, Alchemers, Alza, Ancil,
Arena, AstraZeneca, Aventis, AVER, BMS, BTG, Cephalon,
Cypress, Dove, Elan, Eli Lilly, Evotec, Forest, Glaxo Smith
Kline, Hypnion, Impax, Intec, Intra-Cellular, Jazz, Johnson
& Johnson, King, Lundbeck, McNeil, MediciNova, Merck,
Neurim, Neurocrine, Neurogen, Novartis, Orexo, Organon,
Prestwick, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Purdue, Resteva, Roche,
The other authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
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... This includes the number and duration of nightly awakenings that have only been considered in two of the studies mentioned previously [4,10]. Two recent survey studies somewhat conducted this by comparing individual AH symptoms and select sleep measures [33,34]. In one study, headache, weakness, dizziness, hot/cold flushes and stomach pain correlated with TST [33]. ...
... Two recent survey studies somewhat conducted this by comparing individual AH symptoms and select sleep measures [33,34]. In one study, headache, weakness, dizziness, hot/cold flushes and stomach pain correlated with TST [33]. The second study reported similar correlations using sleep quality and daytime sleepiness [34]. ...
... Less TST and poorer sleep quality commonly resulted in higher ratings of fatigue and overall AH severity. These findings are similar to previous correlational research [7,33,34] and somewhat reflect other semi-naturalistic studies that found a withinsubject reduction in TST [29] and/or poorer sleep quality during AH compared with non-AH conditions [28]. However, they differ from some experimental studies where non-significant differences in TST have been observed [10,25]. ...
The Relationship between Alcohol Hangover Severity, Sleep and Cognitive Performance; a Naturalistic Study
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2021
Alcohol hangover (AH) has been associated with poor sleep due to the negative effects of alcohol intoxication on sleep quantity and sleep quality. The aim of the current study was to further explore the relationship between AH severity and sleep using a naturalistic study design. A further aim was to determine whether quantitative aspects of sleep were a mediating influence on the relationship between AH severity and cognitive performance. As part of the naturalistic study design, 99 drinkers were recruited following a night of drinking in an Australian state capital, with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) measured as participants were leaving the entertainment district. The following morning at home, participants answered online questions regarding their drinking behaviour on the previous evening, current AH symptoms and sleep quality. Participants also completed an online version of the Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B) to assess cognitive performance. The findings reveal the duration of nightly awakenings to be negatively related to six individual AH symptoms as well as overall AH severity. The number of nightly awakenings, sleep quality and total sleep time correlated with four AH symptoms including overall AH severity. Total AH severity accounted for a moderate amount of variance (11%) in the time to complete the TMT-B. These findings confirm that alcohol consumption negatively affects sleep, which is related to higher next-day hangover severity ratings and poorer cognitive performance.
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... Overall STAI-S and STAI-T scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating more anxiety. Scores can be classified as "no or low anxiety" (score range [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37], "moderate anxiety" (score range [38][39][40][41][42][43][44], or "high anxiety" (score range 45-80) [22]. ...
... An explanation for the differences between hangover-sensitive drinkers and hangoverresistant drinkers may be related to the fact that sleep quality on the alcohol day was reported as significantly poorer by the hangover-sensitive group than the hangover-resistant group. Previous research has linked poor sleep quality to hangover severity and next-day sleepiness-related symptoms [39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. However, poor sleep quality and sleep loss without alcohol consumption may also result in next-day sleepiness, fatigue, and concentration problems [46], and have also been associated with other frequently reported hangover symptoms such as headache [47,48] and nausea [49]. ...
Differences in Next-Day Adverse Effects and Impact on Mood of an Evening of Heavy Alcohol Consumption between Hangover-Sensitive Drinkers and Hangover-Resistant Drinkers
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2023
The combination of negative mental and physical symptoms which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero, are collectively referred to as the alcohol hangover. Previous research revealed that 10 to 20% of drinkers claim not to experience next-day hangovers. Past studies were usually limited to single timepoint assessments. The aim of the current semi-naturalistic study was to compare the next-day effects of an evening of alcohol consumption of self-reported hangover-resistant drinkers (n = 14) with those of a group of self-reported hangover-sensitive drinkers (n = 15) at hourly timepoint throughout the day (09:30 until 15:30). Assessments of 23 hangover symptoms, mood (Profiles of Mood States-Short Form), and daytime sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) were made hourly after both an alcohol day and an alcohol-free control day. Additional morning assessments were made for mood (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y, Beck’s Depression Inventory-II), risk-taking behavior (RT-18), past night sleep (Groningen Sleep Quality Scale), alcohol consumption, and activities during the test days. No significant differences were found regarding the amount of alcohol consumed and the total sleep time of the two groups. The hangover-sensitive group reported having a hangover as well as the presence of a variety of hangover-related symptoms, which were most severe in the morning and then gradually decreased during the day. The most frequently reported and most severe symptoms were sleepiness and fatigue, concentration problems, and headache. In contrast, the hangover-resistant group reported the absence of a hangover and the presence and severity of next-day symptoms did not significantly differ from the control day, except for increased fatigue and reduced vigor. The next-day effects on sleepiness-related complaints and vigor were significantly more pronounced among hangover-sensitive drinkers compared to hangover-resistant drinkers. In conclusion, contrary to hangover-resistant drinkers, hangover-sensitive drinkers report a variety of hangover symptoms that gradually ease during the day, but are still present in the afternoon.
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... In previous studies, baseline physical activity level was not significantly related to hangover severity [11,34]. Most studies have shown that sleep is impaired after alcohol consumption, and that poorer sleep quality and reduced total sleep time have been correlated with reporting more severe hangovers [43][44][45][46][47][48][49]. However, research on the impact of baseline sleep characteristics on hangover frequency and severity is currently lacking. ...
Predictors of Hangover Frequency and Severity: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption, Mental Resilience, Personality, Lifestyle, Coping and Mood
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2023
Mental resilience is the ability to bounce back from daily life stressors such as divorce or losing a job. Extensive research has demonstrated a negative relationship between mental resilience and alcohol consumption. That is, both the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption are greater in individuals with lower levels of mental resilience. There has, however, been little scientific attention paid to the relationship between mental resilience and alcohol hangover severity. The objective of this study was to evaluate psychological factors that may impact the frequency and severity of alcohol hangovers, including alcohol intake itself, mental resilience, personality, baseline mood, lifestyle, and coping mechanisms. An online survey was conducted among Dutch adults (N = 153) who had a hangover after their heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (15 January to 14 March 2020). Questions were asked about their alcohol consumption and hangover severity on their heaviest drinking occasion. Mental resilience was assessed with the Brief Mental Resilience scale, personality with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised Short Scale (EPQ-RSS), mood via single item assessments, and lifestyle and coping with the modified Fantastic Lifestyle Checklist. The partial correlation, corrected for estimated peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC), between mental resilience and hangover severity was not significant (r = 0.010, p = 0.848). Furthermore, no significant correlations were found between hangover severity or frequency and personality and baseline mood. For lifestyle and coping factors, a negative correlation was found between the use of tobacco and toxins (i.e., drugs, medicines, caffeine) and the frequency of experiencing hangovers. Regression analysis revealed that hangover severity after the heaviest drinking occasion (31.2%) was the best predictor of hangover frequency, and that subjective intoxication on the heaviest drinking occasion (38.4%) was the best predictor of next-day hangover severity. Mood, mental resilience, and personality were not relevant predictors of hangover frequency and severity. In conclusion, mental resilience, personality, and baseline mood do not predict hangover frequency and severity.
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... Moreover, women usually have elevated bioavailability and faster disappearance rates than men. Also, alcohol appears to impair cognitive and psychomotor functioning in women more than in men [11,12]. Alcohol gets metabolized to an intermediate product, acetaldehyde, by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and then acetaldehyde is converted to acetate by a second enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. ...
Mental and Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Hangover
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2022
Alcohol hangover can be defined as the combination of mental and physical symptoms that are experienced the day after an episode of heavy alcohol drinking, launching when blood alcohol concentration approaches zero and characterized by the constellation of unpleasant physical and mental symptoms that occur after heavy alcohol drinking. Significant changes observed on endocrine parameters (elevated concentrations of vasopressin, aldosterone, and renin) and metabolic acidosis (lowered blood potential hydrogen values due to elevated concentrations of lactate, ketone bodies, and free fatty acids) occurred during hangover and eventually causes dehydration and symptoms such as dry mouth and thirst. Females have more body fat and less water than men of the same body weight. Since alcohol is dispensed in body water, women reach higher blood alcohol concentrations levels than men despite consuming an identical number of alcohol units. Alcohol gets metabolized to an intermediate product, acetaldehyde, by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and then acetaldehyde is converted to acetate by a second enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde at higher concentrations causes toxic effects, such as rapid pulse, sweating, skin flushing, nausea, and vomiting. In most people, aldehyde dehydrogenase metabolizes acetaldehyde quickly and efficiently, so that this intermediate metabolite does not accumulate in high concentrations.
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... hours); category 3, long sleep (=> 7 hours). These categories have been used in other studies (e.g., Hsieh et al. 2011;van Schrojenstein Lantman et al. 2017). The findings are reported in Table 1 in the appendix. ...
The politics and policies of sleep? Empirical findings and the policy context
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2022
Public policies aim to promote the social good, but they do not always meet this goal. We argue that to improve policy and policy analysis, it is important to pay attention to the cumulative effect of policies on how people use their time. In this study, we looked at the effect of certain policies on sleep. Our exploratory study yielded intriguing findings on sleep in Israel in the specific policy context of a dual burden of work and caregiving. We surveyed 671 participants on the effect of work and care hours on sleep. The findings showed participants slept an average of 6.6 hours and expressed the desire to sleep one hour more. The desire to sleep more was higher than for all other uses of time and was evident in all employment categories. Part-time workers slept more than full-time workers and women, and younger people asked to sleep more than older ones. Long work hours and care hours led to lower sleep hours. Our findings suggest the need to be aware of possible ‘side effects’ in the policy design stage and are relevant to other countries with a care-work burden.
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... This proportion is similar to a study that examined clients attending outpatient detoxification for alcohol, 5 and is an important subgroup for identification given the negative consequences associated with daytime dysfunction, including falling asleep while driving, 8 and impaired next-day performance. 10 We found a significant association with the total number of drugs reported in the client history and ESS. This finding suggests that polydrug use is a risk factor for subsequent daytime sleepiness. ...
Sleep disturbance in clients attending a specialist addiction clinic
Article
  • Aug 2021
Background and Objectives Sleep problems are common among clients attending alcohol and drug services, yet the specific components of sleep disturbed by primary drug of concern (PDOC), and their relationships to affective disorder symptoms are unclear. Methods We examined sleep problems in clients (n = 32) attending a specialist addiction clinic. Results Global sleep quality was rated poor by >90% of participants (particularly disturbances, latency and efficiency components), with significant associations (p < .05) between poor sleep quality and depression (r = .517), anxiety (r = .571) and stress (r = .503). Sleep quality was significantly poorer among those with a nonalcohol PDOC compared with alcohol as PDOC, t(22) = 3.09, p = .005. Conclusion and Scientific Significance Poor sleep is almost ubiquitous among clients attending alcohol and drug services. However, components of sleep quality disturbed differ in terms of PDOC, highlighting the need for individualised sleep interventions.
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... Therefore, at this level of alcohol intake, perhaps the effects on next day functioning were not noticed by participants on the following day. Previous studies found that severity of hangover is associated with sleep and physical activity experiences respectively [32][33][34][35]. Therefore, future research is needed to examine severity of hangover symptoms along with the number of alcoholic drinks, in particular in clinical samples with participants who are heavy drinkers in daily life. ...
The relationship between sleep and physical activity: The moderating role of daily alcohol consumption
Article
Study objectives: Studies have demonstrated a daily, bidirectional relationship between sleep and physical activity. However, little is known about how other health behaviors, such as alcohol consumption affect this relationship. This study examined how daily and average alcohol consumption affects the relationships between sleep and physical activity. Methods: Participants included 70 men and women, ages 18-50 with sleep duration >6.5 h. Participants wore an actigraph, physical activity monitor and recorded number of alcoholic drinks by daily food logs for 7 days. Results were analyzed using multi-level models to evaluate the 7-day average (i.e., between-person effects) and daily effects (i.e., within-person effects) simultaneously. Results: Those with more average (7 day) minutes of vigorous physical activity had less wake after sleep onset (WASO). Furthermore, a higher number of alcoholic drinks was associated with longer sleep duration and higher WASO over 7 days. Days with a higher number of alcoholic drinks were associated with higher WASO and sleep fragmentation that night. Alcohol intake moderated the average (7 day) and daily relationships between sleep and physical activity such that high average (7 days) WASO was associated with shorter average total physical activity duration, but only for those with higher alcohol intake. In addition, longer physical activity duration during the day was associated with lower sleep fragmentation that night, but only for those with lower alcohol intake. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that in a naturalistic setting, alcohol intake negatively impacts sleep and diminishes the benefits of physical activity on sleep.
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... During this research, participants were required to avoid alcohol because it could significantly affect sleep quality (Lantman et al., 2017). Additionally, they were not allowed to drink any caffeinated drinks after 4:00 p.m. ...
Environmental factors affecting sleep quality in summer: a field study in Shanghai, China
Article
Although the environment can greatly influence an individual's sleep quality, China is yet to conduct comprehensive research on the topic. This study investigated the bedroom environment and sleep quality of 41 households during summer in Shanghai. Bedroom environments were comprehensively evaluated through environmental perception questionnaires filled by participants after waking up every morning. Parameters, such as air temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, and noise level were continuously monitored. Furthermore, participants' sleep quality was observed using both subjective questionnaires and physiological measures. Environmental measurements showed that the most comfortable air temperature and relative humidity was 24.8 °C and 64%, respectively. Physiological measurements showed that the average duration of slow wave sleep (SWS) and sleep efficiency (SE) was 73.8 min and 86.7%, respectively. Additionally, SWS was negatively correlated with air temperature (r = −0.377, p = 0.015) and CO2 concentration (r = −0.362, p = 0.02), and SE was negatively correlated with noise level (r = −0.32, p = 0.042). The subjective and objective results consistently indicated that higher air temperature, CO2 concentration, and noise level leads to poor sleep quality in summer. In addition, air temperature and CO2 concentration had a greater impact on the sleep quality of males, while noise level had a greater impact on the sleep quality of females.
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The effect of noise exposure on sleep quality of urban residents: A comparative study in Shanghai, China
Article
Full-text available
Noise exposure is becoming extremely common in urban area, but its specific impact on sleep remains controversial. Considering the limitations of previous researches, a field study which can conduct both horizontal and longitudinal analysis was designed. Urban participants were tested during two weeks in their homes, and the noise level of bedroom was artificially regulated by changing the status of window and door. During the 1050 test nights in 75 households, noise exposure was reflected from both instrument monitoring at night and perception questionnaire in the morning, and sleep quality was accessed from actigraphy and questionnaire. The analysis results showed that, 92.3% of the bedroom acoustic environment did not meet the minimum requirements of Chinese standards, and 87.9% of subjects had ever experienced harmful noise during the test period. Furthermore, sleep quality was affected by noise exposure from the perspective of both physiological and psychological; the duration of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was significantly (p < 0.05) shortened with the increase of sound intensity, the duration of deep sleep shortened and subjective sleep quality worsened significantly (p < 0.05) with the increase of acoustic sensation vote. In addition, females were more sensitive to noise exposure and their subjective sleep quality was more likely to be influenced by emotions. This study has important implications for acoustic environment design of bedrooms in cities, and suggested more attention should be paid to the anxiety caused by noise exposure.
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Alcohol Hangover Symptoms and Their Contribution to the Overall Hangover Severity
Article
Full-text available
Scientific literature suggests a large number of symptoms that may be present the day after excessive alcohol consumption. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence and severity of hangover symptoms, and determine their interrelationship. A survey was conducted among n = 1410 Dutch students examining their drinking behavior and latest alcohol hangover. The severity of 47 presumed hangover symptoms were scored on a 10-point scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 10 (maximal). Factor analysis was conducted to summarize the data into groups of associated symptoms that contribute significantly to the alcohol hangover and symptoms that do not. About half of the participants (56.1%, n = 791) reported having had a hangover during the past month. Most commonly reported and most severe hangover symptoms were fatigue (95.5%) and thirst (89.1%). Factor analysis revealed 11 factors that together account for 62% of variance. The most prominent factor 'drowsiness' (explained variance 28.8%) included symptoms such as drowsiness, fatigue, sleepiness and weakness. The second factor 'cognitive problems' (explained variance 5.9%) included symptoms such as reduced alertness, memory and concentration problems. Other factors, including the factor 'disturbed water balance' comprising frequently reported symptoms such as 'dry mouth' and 'thirst', contributed much less to the overall hangover (explained variance <5%). Drowsiness and impaired cognitive functioning are the two dominant features of alcohol hangover.
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Effects of Heavy Drinking by Maritime Academy Cadets on Hangover, Perceived Sleep, and Next-Day Ship Power Plant Operation
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2006
The effects of an evening of heavy drinking on next-day occupational performance are mixed across studies and have not been investigated for ship-handling performance. Furthermore, it is not known whether the residual effects of alcohol on next-day performance are due to its effects on sleep. Merchant marine cadets (N=61) who had been trained on a diesel power plant simulator and who drank heavily at least episodically were given placebo beer one evening and were randomized on a second evening to placebo or real beer that resulted in a mean breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of .115 g%. After an 8-hour sleep period, a meal, and a return to < or = .02 g% BrAC, cadets were assessed with self-report measures and the power plant simulator. No effects of beverage condition were seen on actual performance, although cadets who consumed alcohol rated their performance as impaired compared with the placebo conditions. Alcohol consumption also increased the Acute Hangover Scale score, improved perceived sleep quality, and decreased perceived latency to sleep onset while not affecting perceived sleep duration. While residual alcohol effects are found on some complex performance tasks, residual effects of .11 to .12 g% BrAC were not seen on ship engine simulator performance despite increased hangover symptoms and perceived impairment from the hangover. Therefore, this level of heavy drinking might not be deleterious to next-day routine occupational performance by young ship engineers despite the subjective ill effects. The perception that alcohol improves sleep onset might be a motivation for some to drink heavily. The effects on older engineers, at higher alcohol levels, and on other ship-handling tasks still need to be studied.
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Development of a Definition for the Alcohol Hangover: Consumer Descriptions and Expert Consensus
Article
  • Feb 2017
Up to now there is no adequate definition of the alcohol hangover. The purpose of the current study was to develop a useful definition, and consensus among those who will use it in scientific publications. A survey was conducted among N=1099 social drinkers who recently had a hangover. They were asked to provide their definition of the alcohol hangover. Text mining and content analysis revealed 3 potential definitions. These were submitted to members of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group, who were asked to give their expert opinion on the proposed definitions. Taking into account their comments and suggestions, the following definition for the alcohol hangover was formulated: "The alcohol hangover refers to the combination of cognitive and physical symptoms, experienced the day after a single episode of heavy drinking, starting when blood alcohol concentration approaches zero."
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Effects of alcohol hangover on simulated highway driving performance
Article
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of alcohol hangover on simulated highway driving performance. Driving performance of forty-two social drinkers was tested the morning following an evening of consuming on average 10.2 (SD = 4.2) alcoholic drinks (alcohol hangover) and on a control day (no alcohol consumed). Subjects performed a standardized 100-km highway driving test in the STISIM driving simulator. In addition to the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP; i.e., the weaving of the car), lapses of attention were examined. Self-reported driving quality and driving style were scored, as well as mental effort to perform the test, sleepiness before and after driving, and hangover severity. Driving performance was significantly impaired during alcohol hangover as expressed by an SDLP increase of +1.9 cm (t (1,41) = 2.851, p = 0.007), increased number of lapses relative to the control day (7.7 versus 5.3 lapses, t (1,41) = 2.125, p = 0.019), and an increased total lapse time (182.7 versus 127.3 s, p = 0.040). During alcohol hangover, subjects reported their driving quality to be significantly poorer (t (1,41) = 4.840, p = 0.001) and less safe (t (1,41) = 5.078, p = 0.001), wise (t (1,41) = 4.061, p = 0.001), predictable (t (1,41) = 3.475, p = 0.001), and responsible (t (1,41) = 4.122, p = 0.001). Subjects further reported being significantly more tense while driving (t (1,41) = 3.280, p = 0.002), and more effort was needed to perform the driving test (t (1,41) = 2.941, p = 0.001). There was a significant interaction with total sleep time and hangover effects on SDLP and the number of lapses. In conclusion, driving is significantly impaired during alcohol hangover, as expressed in an elevated SDLP and increased number of lapses. Total sleep time has a significant impact on the magnitude of driving impairment.
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Cognitive and Psychomotor Performance During Alcohol Hangover
Article
  • Jun 2010
The consequences of alcohol consumption have risen high on health and social agendas in recent years. Although much work has focused on the physical problems associated with alcohol use, one theme that has emerged in alcohol research has been a focus on the effects of hangovers on functioning. This brief literature review specifically examines recent empirical investigations of the relationship between alcohol hangover and psychological performance and is tabled as an update to our earlier review of similar research (Stephens et al., 2008). A literature search generated 75 results on hangover and cognition (and synonyms) since the last published review. However, of these, only 4 met all inclusion criteria, such as establishing that BAL (Blood Alcohol Level) was zero at testing. Taking the findings of these newer studies with those that we reviewed previously, there appears to be real evidence of convergence of findings. There are now four rigorous laboratory studies, two less rigorous laboratory studies lacking placebo control and two rigorous naturalistic studies that indicate specific cognitive decrements in attention and memory during the hangover phase of alcohol consumption. Given this convergence, research agendas for increasing understanding of the cognitive effects of alcohol hangover should now switch from studies that routinely assess many cognitive functions to studies assessing the attention and memory deficits of hangover in greater detail.
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Intoxication With Bourbon Versus Vodka: Effects on Hangover, Sleep, and Next‐Day Neurocognitive Performance in Young Adults
Article
This study assessed the effects of heavy drinking with high or low congener beverages on next-day neurocognitive performance, and the extent to which these effects were mediated by alcohol-related sleep disturbance or alcoholic beverage congeners, and correlated with the intensity of hangover. Healthy heavy drinkers age 21 to 33 (n = 95) participated in 2 drinking nights after an acclimatization night. They drank to a mean of 0.11 g% breath alcohol concentration on vodka or bourbon one night with matched placebo the other night, randomized for type and order. Polysomnography recordings were made overnight; self-report and neurocognitive measures were assessed the next morning. After alcohol, people had more hangover and more decrements in tests requiring both sustained attention and speed. Hangover correlated with poorer performance on these measures. Alcohol decreased sleep efficiency and rapid eye movement sleep, and increased wake time and next-day sleepiness. Alcohol effects on sleep correlated with hangover but did not mediate the effects on performance. No effect of beverage congeners was found except on hangover severity, with people feeling worse after bourbon. Virtually no sex differences appeared. As drinking to this level affects complex cognitive abilities, safety could be affected, with implications for driving and for safety-sensitive occupations. Congener content affects only how people feel the next day so does not increase risk. The sleep disrupting effects of alcohol did not account for the impaired performance so other mechanisms of effect need to be sought. As hangover symptoms correlate with impaired performance, these might be contributing to the impairment.
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Prediction of blood alcohol concentrations in human subjects. Updating the Widmark Equation
Article
  • Aug 1981
Equations are derived for expressing the relationship between alcohol intake and blood alcohol concentration in terms of total body water and the blood water fraction. These equations are more exact than Widmark's, and if used in conjunction with regression equations to calculate total body water, will give more accurate predictions of BAC.
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An examination of next-day hangover effects after a 100 mg/100 mL dose of alcohol in heavy social drinkers
Article
  • Jan 1999
Carry-over effects or the hangover hypothesis postulates that alcohol continues to impair performance the morning after drinking, even after low or moderate doses. Performance deficits have been attributed to the residual effects of recent drinking. The present study examined evidence for residual alcohol consumption on human performance when blood alcohol level has declined to zero. A within-subjects, repeated measures, placebo controlled experiment was conducted with double-blind alcohol administration to investigate the effects of alcohol the morning after ingestion. All subjects were studied in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Forty healthy male moderate to heavy social drinkers between 18 and 45 years of age. Psychomotor performance, subjective state and quality of sleep were examined under alcohol and placebo with a 1-week interval between test sessions. Enough alcohol was given to place subjects above the legal limit for driving at peak blood alcohol. There was no evidence for impaired performance the morning after ingestion. Effects were found for subjective state and sleep quality. The findings suggest that after a 100 mg/100 ml dose of alcohol people who: (a) have no alcohol left in their blood and; (b) do not feel hung over will generally be fit to drive.
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Alcohol hangover effects on measures of affect the morning after a nights drinking
Article
  • Jan 2006
To investigate the effects of students' usual levels of alcohol consumption on aspects of mood and anxiety the following morning. Students were recruited who consumed their usual quantity of any type of alcoholic beverage in their chosen company and then completed assessments of the effects the following day. The timing of drinking was restricted to the period between 22:00 and 02:00 h the night before testing as these are the most popular hours for consuming alcohol in the population under investigation. The testing included an assessment of mood and anxiety; testing was also performed after an evening of abstinence (no hangover condition), following a counterbalanced repeated measure design, with time of testing and order of testing as 'between participant' factors. Forty-eight student social drinkers (33 women, 15 men) aged between 18 and 43 years were tested, with a 1 week interval between test sessions. Males reported consuming on average 14.7 units and females 10.5 units the night before testing. On the morning after alcohol consumption, ratings of alertness and tranquility were lower than the ratings the morning following an evening of abstinence at both 11:00 and 13:00 h and the post intoxication physical symptoms, emotional symptoms and symptoms of fatigue persisted throughout the morning. Heavy alcohol consumption lowers mood, disrupts sleep, increases anxiety and produces physical symptoms, emotional symptoms and symptoms of fatigue throughout the next morning.
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