For most couples, alcohol is either the ultimate injection of self-confidence, guaranteed to revive the action in bed or the kiss of death for a promising situation, which leaves one or both desired actions. But according to some expert research, the real connection between alcohol and passionate sex is far more delicate.

For example, some of the obvious aphrodisiac effects of alcohol may be present because we invoke them. Alcohol has a strong physiological effect, but the aspect of expectations also has a great influence, says Henson. What we reasonably expect to happen while we are under the influence of alcohol is likely to happen.

Researchers say that people generally give too much credit to alcohol for their sex life, be it good or bad. We will try to clear up the misconception of alcohol, to ensure that this praised social catalyst accelerates your love life – not to destroy it.

She also wears beer glasses, but with a smaller diopter

There is a difference in how bohemian types experience the effect of “beer glasses” (a situation in which a person of the opposite sex looks much more attractive than a couple of drinks before) typically depending on gender. When they drink a drink, both men and women perceive potential partners as more attractive. However, this effect lasts longer in men.

Men base women’s physical attractiveness on the symmetry of their faces. According to a study done in Brazil, men under the considerable influence of alcohol were significantly more unsuccessful in assessing the symmetry of a woman’s face, compared to sober people. This may help explain why alcohol-addicted men pick up women who would not normally be attracted to them.

Similarly, in a study done at a European University, both men and women were given cocktails spiced with vodka – enough to make them drunk, but not drunk. Both experienced faces of the opposite sex more attractive while under gas.

The difference was noticed only before dawn, when the women took off their “beer glasses”, while the men were still guided by the impression from the previous night. They continued to rate people of the opposite sex as more attractive than they would otherwise have done. So, even if the woman next to you in bed looks pretty good when it dawns, be careful – her seeing you may not be as fabulous as the night before you went to bed.

Your tossing goes best after two drinks

According to a recent study done at a university, alcohol has a numbing effect on the prefrontal region of the cerebral cortex, which inhibits our instinctive behaviours. Giving up these controls can be the cause of your increased sex drive after one or two hours of wine.

The same goes for her. According to a study by another university, women who drink every day show more interest in sex than their friends who do not drink. Looks like stopping by your preferred bar regularly can still pay off.

However, the effect of alcohol on sexual arousal is directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed. At the Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse of one of the world’s most famous universities, it is claimed that men show more interest in sex when the level of alcohol in the blood increases after two or three drinks.

However, if the counting continues to four or five drinks, most men become less willing. If you drink too much, you are more likely to be mentally absent during sexual intercourse, which can promisingly bury socializing faster than if your mom walked into a room in the middle of the action.

No, she doesn’t care if you use a condom – she just thinks less

Two drunks in a crowd in bed, do not share their hidden fantasies, but only operate on an IQ that is 30 points lower than in sober moments. A University study proved that both men and women are more open to unprotected sex when they drink moderate amounts of alcohol than when they are sober.

As the impact of alcohol increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to process information from the environment. This condition is called alcoholic myopia. This means that if you have been drinking and are very focused on “that”, you will be much less worried about whether Mr Condom is present or not.

People who drink a lot may not think soberly before having sex for one night, says the psychologist who conducted the research. Also, people who drink a lot may have such a personality set that it is easier to engage in risky behaviour. To avoid the worst-case scenario, such as sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies, your doctor recommends deciding how far to go before you drink your first drink – and ask one of your friends to help you stay on track.

If you drink more, sex will be better, but only for her

Drinking moderately can help when the action starts. And not because it accelerates the psychological process, but because it removes some of the brakes you may both have, relaxes you, and raises your self-esteem. But as blood alcohol levels rise, things will start to slow down. When, as part of a study, drunk and sober men were told to “get ready” as quickly as possible, sober men were able to get an erection faster than their drunken friends.

For these lethargic lovers, alcohol stands in the way, slowing down the parts of their nervous system that control arousal. People are very irritable and sociable at first when they drink, but over time, depressive effects appear. This applies to both women and men.

These effects can slow down sexual arousal, which would have been faster if the drink had not started to flow. However, if you are self-sufficient, you can use this to your advantage, indulging in longer foreplay and trying to enjoy both nevertheless.

You don’t need alcohol to loosen her brakes

When we talk about alcohol and sex, expectations are a real evil. Anthropologists call this the “b (think) -drink” effect. If you convince people to falsely believe that they are under the influence of alcohol, for example, they tend to become more aggressive and sexually aroused. This indicates that the established social awareness of the sexual effects of alcohol actually defines our behaviour.

Such deeply ingrained beliefs and expectations write the script for what will happen later in bed. Many people do not realize that the impact of alcohol on sexual life is largely psychological. It is like a prophecy that is only being fulfilled: if you believe that you will relax and experiment with alcohol, so be it. And as long as you maintain this state of mind, you will reap the sweet sexual fruits.

But knowing that your consciousness has a vaster impact on your sexual behaviour than the beer you just drank can protect you from the assumption that alcohol is a pillar of good sex. Most people drink to get rid of their inhibitions, but another way to do that is to communicate openly with the person you want to have sex with.

There are other ways to put yourself in a state where you will not be burdened with questions about the quality and success of potential action. If you manage to find the perfect mug from which you will drink enough to improve your sex life, but not so much that it typically depends on it, you will be on the right path to achieve a large number of juicy (and sober) sexual feats.