Modafinil is a medication that can improve wakefulness in patients with sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work disorder. It is effective in multiple randomized, double-blind clinical trials.
The medication is thought to decrease activity in the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN), which promotes sleep by inhibiting histaminergic neurons that mediate cortical arousal.
What is modafinil?
Modafinil Online Australia is a non-amphetamine central nervous system (CNS) stimulant with wakefulness-promoting properties. It is used in the treatment of conditions that cause excessive daytime sleepiness. It is FDA-approved to treat narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea as an adjunct to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in adults. It also has several off-label indications.
Both modafinil and armodafinil increase wakefulness by affecting certain parts of the brain that control sleep-wake cycles. They are thought to do so by boosting the level of dopamine in these areas, which promotes wakefulness. They do not act as a dopamine receptor agonist, meaning they don’t cause euphoria or feelings of pleasure.
Armodafinil is similar to modafinil, but it has a longer half-life, which means that it remains in the body for a longer time. This allows it to provide a more gradual wakefulness boost and may be better for those with conditions that require a long period to fully recover from sleepiness.
Modafinil is a controlled substance and can be habit-forming. It is important to follow the instructions on your prescription label and avoid taking larger or smaller amounts than prescribed.
It is also important to keep it out of reach of children and not share it with anyone. If you stop taking it suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms (shakes, vomiting, confusion). Talk to your doctor about how to safely discontinue this medication.
How does modafinil work?
Modafinil is an orexin receptor agonist that increases histamine release, which in turn activates the dopamine system and promotes wakefulness. This effect is abolished in orexin neuron-ablated mice, suggesting that orexin neurons play a role in the mechanism of action of modafinil.
Modafinil has also been found to enhance cognitive function in animal models. It increases performance on a sequential alternation task in mice and does not affect exploratory or anxiety-related activity, suggesting that the drug enhances working memory.
Moreover, it has been found to improve performance on several other cognitive tasks in medication-free narcolepsy patients. This makes it one of the first well-validated pharmaceutical nootropic drugs and has prompted ethical discussion about whether or not it is appropriate to use such drugs in healthy populations.
Take modafinil as directed by your doctor, usually once a day in the morning for narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder, or 1 hour before the start of your work shift to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Follow the directions on your prescription label and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take this Modalert Online Tablet with food if you can, and do not take it within 3 hours before bedtime. Drink plenty of water with this medicine. Avoid consuming large amounts of caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, colas) as it can increase the side effects of this medication.
What are the side effects of modafinil?
Modafinil may change the amount of certain natural substances in the brain that control sleep and wakefulness. It works to increase wakefulness in people with narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, including periods of no breathing during sleeping (obstructive sleep apnea).
It also helps people stay awake during shifts at work when they have narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea. It does not cure these sleep disorders, and should only be used for as long as prescribed by a doctor.
This medication comes in tablet form and is typically taken once per day in the morning for narcolepsy or obstructive snoring/apnea and once each night before a work shift for shift work apnea. It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions exactly, and to avoid taking larger or more frequent doses than recommended, as this can increase your risk of serious side effects.
Armodafinil and modafinil are similar medications that are commonly prescribed to treat narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work disorder. Studies show that both medications are more effective at increasing wakefulness compared to placebos, and they are well-tolerated by most patients.
Both drugs are also sometimes prescribed off-label to treat fatigue associated with narcolepsy, multiple sclerosis, and depression. However, there is no clear evidence that these off-label uses are safe or effective. Modafinil is a controlled substance, and there are concerns about abuse and dependence.
Dosage of modafinil for sleep apnea
Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting drug used to treat sleep disorders. It has been clinically proven to increase wakefulness compared to a placebo and is available as a 200-mg oral tablet under the brand name Provigil. It is also prescribed to treat other conditions such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder.
It belongs to the class of drugs known as stimulants and is similar to Adderall and Vyvanse, but has fewer side effects and is better tolerated.
In several studies, including extension trials in which improvements were maintained, modafinil 200 mg improved objectively measured sleep latency on the Multiple Sleep Latency Test and the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) and subjectively assessed sleepiness levels using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale compared to placebo.
Modafinil was well tolerated and did not affect cardiovascular parameters or scheduled sleep. Patients in the narcolepsy study who used modafinil also reported greater vitality, fewer restrictions on daily activities because of physical or emotional limitations, and less interference with social activities because of health problems.
Some people with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome continue to experience residual excessive daytime sleepiness despite the use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy. A randomized trial of 77 patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea who had moderate to severe daytime sleepiness and were receiving continuous positive airway pressure therapy found that modafinil improved their symptoms compared to placebo.