Modafinil Expectations

You decided to take your little, white Modafinil tablet at 3 pm. It’s now 10 pm.

You’ve had one of the most productive evenings that you can recall. That enormous pile of paperwork you have been putting off having to go through has completely gone.

You’ve still got Modafinil in your system and you’re still motivated to do more.  You decide to set to work on a different project, the one you’ve never quite got around to doing because you’ve always been “too busy,” “too tired” or just couldn’t be bothered.

Deciding to get your project underway and wanting to do so is a good sign that your Modafinil has kicked in.

In this article, we are going to talk about the effects of Modafinil in greater detail, learn more about how it works and inform you as to exactly what you should expect when you decide to use it.

Why Use Modafinil?

The drug, Modafinil, has been officially termed as a stimulant and is also classified as a eugeroic medication.  This is not a familiar word to many, but its meaning is a lot simpler than its spelling – it enables the Modafinil user to remain awake for longer and keep focused on tasks in a better, more intense way for longer periods of time.

Comparisons have been made between Modafinil and caffeine of which there are many similarities.  The main difference being that Modafinil is stronger and its effects last much longer.  Due to this, it is able to completely alter the mental state of the user, transforming them from perhaps being groggy and tired to having a clear mind, being alert and very focused.

The majority of people choosing to use Modafinil do so because it induces the brain to keep awake, so it is a popular choice of medication for people who suffer from sleep-related illnesses, such as narcolepsy.

Levels of dopamine are increased within the brain when Modafinil has been taken because it prevents the synapses from reabsorbing the dopamine.  For this reason, it is also a useful medication for people suffering from ADHD, because ADHD sufferers normally have abnormally low levels of dopamine levels naturally.

For people who do not have sleep or attention disorders, the same effects are still useful as Modafinil is primarily used to increase the productivity of an individual.  This means that people who need to stay awake at night to study for exams, for example, are able to do so with very little effort, and high levels of revisions are completed.

What does Modafinil feel like?

It’s not a particularly easy task to describe how Modafinil makes a user feel.  This is because it doesn’t do anything that makes a huge change to the way the world would be seen, unlike other illicit drugs, marijuana or alcohol would usually do.

Instead, let’s take a look at the two main ways which Modafinil effects the user, and these are to motivate and to keep awake.

1.     Modafinil Motivation

If you are needing to increase your motivation, then Modafinil could be the perfect medication for you to use.  It is very hard to prove that it does increase the motivational levels or show by how much, but there is no way that a user can deny that this is the case.

All users speak of the motivational bursts they have that enable them to complete tasks when they have taken Modafinil, and this includes completing tasks that they were previously struggling to complete or had no interest in beforehand.

This could be why it is so effective when used as a medication for people with ADHD.  These are people who stereotypically find it very difficult to self-motivate and complete tasks, especially if they are not interested in them, find them boring or are tired.  The key to using Modafinil is that it eliminates these problems entirely and provides the motivation you need and more.

The tasks once thought of as boring becomes easy to focus on and quick to complete.  The work ethic of the Modafinil user becomes a lot more diligent no matter how much enjoyment is gained from the task.

2.     Feel More Alert with Modafinil and be Wide Awake

This effect of Modafinil is easier to quantify as the user will clearly be able to tell how awake they are and when fully awake will consequentially be more alert.

Modafinil was created to stimulate specific parts of the brain generally associated with feeling awake.  Modafinil is very effective in this way and has a very powerful effect when it comes to the user feeling more awake and alert.  In fact, it has such intense potency that it can completely eradicate narcolepsy for sufferers preventing them from suddenly falling into a deep sleep at any given moment.

It takes just sixty minutes for the full effects of Modafinil to kick in, and these effects build up gradually over that time and increase further over the initial 120 minutes before the full effects are encountered.  The user will feel the Modafinil effects building up, energy levels increasing, environmental perception heightening, surroundings seeming brighter and motivation levels are so high that jobs need to be accomplished.

Online Modafinil Ordering

Modafinil is a medication which can only be obtained through the receipt of a prescription, so to buy or order it from your local pharmacy can only be done so with a doctor’s permission.

There is a way around this though.  You can actually purchase Modafinil through many online sources without the need for a prescription.  This is able to occur because there is some legal grey area surrounding that of Modafinil in most countries.

If you choose to purchase Modafinil from an online seller, there are generic equivalents created in countries with different legalities surrounding Modafinil and the general sale of medications.  The most commonly known place for this to occur is in India.

Modafinil Vs. Other Stimulants

The compound formula used to create Modafinil is one of a kind, though its effects are not unique.  It is not a recent phenomenon for humans to have been seeking alternative sources to increase their levels of productivity.  Actually, this has been the case for thousands of years prior to the innovation of Modafinil.

Originally it was particular herbs that were relied upon to induce a boost of energy, things like kola nut, coffee, and guarana, so that hunters were able to undertake long trips to find greater sources of food, or so that overnight ceremonies could be completed.

Now there are many alternatives that offer stimulation to the human brain, including Adderall, caffeine, Ritalin, theobromine, and Vyvanse, to name but a few.  But what are the ways in which Modafinil effects users differently to these alternatives above?

1.    The differences between Modafinil and Caffeine

There are many similarities between Modafinil and caffeine in the ways in which they affect the human brain.  They are both more than capable of inducing and enhancing wakefulness and are commonly used by people requiring late nights, like students studying for exams.

In its chemical form, caffeine is considered a derivative of methylxanthine.  For many years, it has been used for its natural, plant-based, psychoactive properties.  This is commonly the case in Middle Eastern coffee, Asian tea, and South American yerba mate.

When comparing the activity lengths of Modafinil and caffeine, the effects of caffeine last for around five hours in a healthy adult compared to that of 15 hours when using Modafinil, highlighting that there is triple the amount of stimulant in Modafinil.

The inhibition of the adenosine compound within the brain enables caffeine to work as this prevents the feeling of tiredness that naturally occurs in the body as the day goes on.  Caffeine doesn’t actually stimulate the brain, it actually just stops sleepiness from being felt, which is the opposite of Modafinil.

Caffeine is not considered to be anywhere near as powerful as Modafinil with its effects lasting just a fraction of the time.

Modafinil is limitless, but caffeine is not.  To understand this further, we can look at an example of a particularly long and arduous day at work.  Sometimes, even pure caffeine may not be the only thing required to eradicate the feeling of tiredness, whereas Modafinil could eradicate this.  Modafinil is able to do this using its strength, making sure that all of the correct switches in the brain are activated which eradicates any feeling of tiredness.

From this, we can deduce that Modafinil can be relied on more than caffeine alone and its effects last for a greater period of time so that productivity can be increased, too.

2.     The differences between Modafinil and Adderall

When it comes to finding the closest comparison to that of Modafinil, Adderall is most similar in its effects.  Due to this, it will come as no surprise for you to learn that they are both used to treat the same conditions.

Speaking of Adderall in medical terms it is actually an amphetamine which can be used to treat very specific conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries, ADHD, hypnolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Thought Modafinil and Adderall are easily comparable they do have their differences.  They work in different ways though they do both impacts the neurotransmitters through the use of dopamine.  But Adderall does not target specific receptors in the brain which means that there are usually many more side effects incurred by the user than those taking Modafinil.

Amphetamines, like Adderall, intensify the feeling of awareness, increase motivation levels and boost energy, just like Modafinil does.  But Adderall stimulates the brain to such a degree that this can often be too much for many users.  This over-stimulation can cause frequent headaches, anxiety, jaw clenching, and muscle tension.  It is also very common for amphetamine users to become addicted.

In short, the similarities between Modafinil and Adderall are many, though the side effects caused by Modafinil are drastically lower than the number and severity of side effects caused by Adderall.

If you require more information about the comparison of Modafinil and Adderall, please click here.

3.    The differences between Modafinil and Ritalin

The most common use of Ritalin is for that of ADHD sufferers.  It is cheap and efficient when it comes to relieving ADHD symptoms.  There are multiple different forms for Ritalin to take making it accessible to a wide range of users, like delayed Ritalin, quick release tablet form Ritalin and liquid Ritalin.  It has been established for a considerably longer time than Modafinil and is, therefore, more established both on the market and in the medical world.

The effects that Ritalin induces are very similar to those produced by Adderall, though Ritalin is nowhere near as potent.

Ritalin is considered to increase motivation and energy levels, but there are many side effects which are seen to be off-putting by users.  Modafinil targets very specific brain receptors to increase motivation and energy levels but has considerably fewer side effects.  Due to this, a large number of regular Ritalin users have stopped using Ritalin and have started using Modafinil to gain positive effects and to cease encountering such long lists of negative side effects.

To discover more about the comparison between Modafinil and Ritalin, click here.

Modafinil and its User Reports

As Modafinil is seen to be so effective at increasing concentration and productivity levels, many detailed reviews have been written online.  A popular source of these reviews is Reddit.

What Does a Typical Modafinil Day Look Like?

8 am: Eat breakfast, drink black tea and take 200mg of Modafinil.

9 am: Arrive at work and get ready to begin the day.  Prioritize the most important and largest tasks to be completed today.  It is difficult to know whether Modafinil is having any effect yet.

9.30am:  You’re focused and working productively.

11 am:  You have so far been incredibly productive and have completed the majority of the day’s tasks in the first 2.5 hours of the day.  In a short period of time, you will be ahead of the game.  You need to go to the toilet and become unable to sit still at your desk.

12 pm:  Levels of productivity are still high, but impatience is a potential problem.  The internet is taking too long to load, and Barbara keeps sending ridiculous emails.  You are getting very easily frustrated.

2 pm:  The majority of the day’s work is completed, and extra projects are being worked on.  You are now able to sit still because you decided to take an L-Theanine tablet at 12.30pm which has been very helpful.  You have had to urinate a lot today but have not bothered to stop working to have lunch as you are not hungry and are feeling very productive.

4 pm:  It feels as though the Modafinil is beginning to wear off as productivity levels are beginning to decrease.  You are, however, still able to complete lots of tasks, so will do another hour of work and then begin to think about heading home.

6 pm:  You get home and sense that you’re starting with a headache.  You remind yourself that you need to eat and drink a liter of water.  You have a few mouthfuls of dinner but are still uninterested in food.  Actually, a protein-packed smoothie is much easier to get down, so you make one and drink it easily.  You keep your dull throb of a headache for the rest of the evening, but it doesn’t develop into anything major.  The effects of Modafinil are slowly decreasing in your body, but your brain remains wired.

8 pm:  The effects of Modafinil have worn off and tiredness starts to creep in.  Another early night calls but that’s OK because you’ve had a very productive day.  You’ve done all of your work and even made a considerable start on extra projects, too.

Modafinil Side Effects

As with any medication, the possibility of encountering side effects must be warned of, and though the majority are mild, they must be made known.

Common Side Effects of Modafinil:

• Anxiety
• Fidgeting behavior
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Increased urination
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Low libido
• Poor appetite
• Racing heart
• Shortness of breath

Get the Most out of Modafinil

When Modafinil is used correctly, it can be a very powerful and effective tool.  Use the following list to make sure that you get the most out of Modafinil and take full advantage of its effects.

1.    Drink Water

When taking Modafinil it is really easy to become dehydrated but be sure to drink water so as to avoid getting a headache.

Modafinil has a natural dehydrating effect on the body and does so by increasing the number of times you will need to urinate and the amount of urination your will pass.

Keeping a bottle of water at hand will assist with the prevention of dehydration.

2.    Remember to Eat

The appetite is suppressed when Modafinil is taken.  To help with this try taking a pre-prepared lunch to work and opt for small, nutrient-dense foods.  Protein-rich smoothies or power bars can be a helpful equivalent when larger meals are unable to be eaten.

3.    Take Supplements

Taking supplements is a great and effective way to reduce the likelihood of encountering Modafinil side effects.

• L-Theanine reduces anxiety and jitteriness.
• Magnesium reduces muscle tension and headaches.
• Berberine intensifies the activity length of Modafinil in the body.

4.    Sensible Bedtime

Despite the fact that Modafinil intensifies the feeling of wakefulness, the body still requires good amounts of sleep to function properly.  If using Modafinil regularly, sleep deprivation can become a real hazard.  This is to be avoided wherever possible as it will be detrimental to your productivity long term.  You will also become much more frustrated, tense and irritable when you are lacking in sleep.  Try your hardest to get a full eight hours of sleep each night.

Summarising Modafinil in relation to other Stimulants

Modafinil creates feelings comparable with other stimulants, like Adderall, caffeine, and Ritalin, but there are some significant differences.

Modafinil is not a natural stimulant and therefore its effects last longer, and it is much more powerful than caffeine for example.

In relation to pharmaceutical stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, there are many shared effects between these and Modafinil, but there are much fewer side effects with Modafinil which often makes it the preferred stimulant.

To get the most out of your Modafinil use, it is recommended that you pay considerable amounts of attention to the amount of liquid and food you consume so that unwanted side effects can be avoided, like dehydration and headaches.

If it is used in the correct manner, Modafinil is a great way of increasing productivity and increases motivation levels considerably to enable more to be completed every day.