American doctor Jill Grimes said that memory lapses associated with alcohol consumption may occur due to its ability to “switch off” the hippocampus, the part of the brain that processes short-term memory and stores it in the area responsible for long-term memory, reports the Daily Mail.

Grimes explained that memory loss can be caused by drinking a lot of alcohol in a short period of time. Within two hours, women are recommended to drink no more than four servings of alcohol (one serving is a glass of wine, one cocktail or a bottle of beer) and men – no more than five.

A sudden and rapid increase in blood alcohol levels causes disruptions in the functioning of the brain, in particular the hippocampus, an area involved in storing short-term memory and its redistribution into long-term memory.

The doctor noted that the amount of alcohol that can cause memory loss in the morning is individual for each person. Also, the severity of the consequences of intoxication depends on the amount and type of food that a person consumed along with drinks. In addition, taking antidepressants, cough and cold medications, and pain relievers can make you feel more drunk.