Modafinil is primarily used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness associated with conditions such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea and shift work sleep disorder. However, many people use it off-label to improve focus and concentration.
Before taking modafinil online australia, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, kidney or liver problems, mental illness or history of drug abuse or dependence. Also, let them know if you take any other medicines or herbal supplements.
How Does Modafinil Work?
Modafinil acts as a wake-promoting agent to improve focus in patients with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSA), and shift work sleep disorder. The effectiveness of once-daily modafinil doses of 200-400 mg has been established in large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies in these patient populations.
Preclinical research indicates that modafinil increases neuronal activation in the hypothalamus, which projects diffusely to the cerebral cortex and mediates arousal and attention. This effect on the brain appears to be distinct from stimulant drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines, that act directly on the central nervous system to enhance alertness.
In narcolepsy patients with a long auditory P300 latency, a reduction in this measure correlates with remediation of fatigue after 4 weeks of modafinil at 100-200 mg/day (Sangal et al 1999a).
Modafinil also has been found to reduce mean sleep latencies on the MSLT and the ability to maintain wakefulness on the MWT, and to improve subjective measures of sleepiness and alertness on the ESS and KSS, and objective measures of performance lapses from daytime napping in SWD patients treated with modafinil. However, it does not normalize mean sleep latencies or improve the frequency of occurrence of performance lapses in patients with OSA who use continuous positive airway pressure devices during the night.
What Are the Side Effects of Modafinil?
Modafinil has been found to be well tolerated in a number of large, double-blind placebo controlled studies. The most common side effects included headache, nausea, rhinitis, and dizziness. A small number of patients experienced an allergic reaction, including a severe rash called Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and had to discontinue the medication.
In these same trials, modafinil significantly improved sleep latency in the MSLT and wakefulness in the MWT. It also reduced sleepiness on the ESS and KSS. Moreover, it did so without the negative impact on sleep architecture patterns and rebound hypersomnolence that can occur with traditional stimulants.
Nevertheless, some doctors caution that modafinil should only be used as prescribed because it can cause addiction. It is also not a substitute for getting enough sleep. In addition, long-term use of the medication may have adverse health consequences, such as heart disease and liver damage. In such cases, doctors recommend reducing the dose in patients with hepatic impairment and not using the drug at all in those with renal failure.
Can I Take Modafinil With Other Medication?
Modafinil (Modawake 200) should only be taken as directed by your doctor. It is important to tell your doctor about all the medications and supplements you are taking, especially any non-prescription or prescription medicines, vitamins, herbs, or natural products. This information can help your doctor know if this medicine will interact with any of those items.
A single 200-mg dose of modafinil slightly enhances your ability to pay attention, learn and remember, but the effects wear off after several hours, according to a study published Thursday in Neuropsychopharmacology. The study’s authors say the findings raise ethical concerns about using the drug to give students an unfair advantage in preparing for or taking tests.
Modafinil helps improve excessive sleepiness in people with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSA/HSD), and shift work disorder (SWSD). However, it does not cure these conditions. Getting enough sleep is still very important. It is also important to follow your doctor’s advice about good sleep habits.
Can I Take Modafinil Before Bed?
Modafinil is used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness caused by conditions such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. It's also known as a wakefulness-promoting drug and has been shown to improve performance in patients with these conditions.
Although many people use Modafinil off-label for cognitive enhancement, there's no strong evidence that it improves focus in healthy individuals. A few studies, however, indicate that it can help improve learning for long and complex tasks. It can also increase decision-making and planning skills.
In one study, modafinil significantly improved objectively determined wakefulness and reduced patient-reported sleepiness compared to placebo after 4 weeks. It also reduced mistakes, accidents, and near-accidents during night shifts in a group of patients with narcolepsy.
This improvement is attributed to modafinil's ability to boost energy, which improves performance and motivation. The same effect has been seen in other studies using different measures of wakefulness. (Pack et al 2001) (Black and Hirshkowitz 2005) (Czeisler et al 2005). It also appears to prevent fatigue during the night shift for some workers with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea.
