Have you ever experienced any sleep disorders? Are you here for some information regarding excessive sleepiness and the cure for it? If yes, then you’re definitely at the right website. This is the ultimate guide for the information related to narcolepsy (a common sleep disorder) as well as the information related to the curative drug that is used for the treatment of narcolepsy known as Modafinil.  

Modafinil is also called by the name of its brand that is Provigil. It is an approved drug by the Food and Drug Administration and is considerably used for the treatment of people with sleep disorders. The most recognized sleep disorder is narcolepsy, as mentioned above. It is taken by the majority of students who tend to focus on their studies believing it will help them focus properly. Despite being used for treatments only, it actually works this way too. 

Moreover, a recent study related to the drug Modafinil, concluded by Ruairidh McLennan, a lecturer at the University of Oxford in England, describes that it is used for complex tests of cognition and is employed to enhance the thinking ability of people suffering from narcolepsy and otherwise. 

In this article, we will describe the study drug modafinil along with its various uses in the treatment of narcolepsy. We will explain to our readers what are the side effects of modafinil and how is it used. Along with it, you would also get to know about the alternatives of the drug modafinil. Moreover, we have described the importance of lifestyle change in our article in order to treat narcolepsy in a better way and reduce it from increasing. 

But before we begin, make sure to check out the best modafinil vendor on the internet for more information on Modafinil or for purchasing the drug itself.

What Narcolepsy Basically Is And What Are The Symptoms Of NArcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a common sleep disorder that indicates excessive sleepiness. It is characterized as extreme daytime sleepiness or sleep paralysis which means the occurrence of deep sleep during the daytime. In some cases, hallucinations and episodes of Cataplexy take place where a person partially loses muscle control which is often triggered by emotions such as laughter, anger, fear or excitement. Cataplexy means that a person is awake but is unable to move or function in their desired way. Sometimes people collapse during the attack of cataplexy as it leads them to lose control in their functions by weakening their overall muscle control. Cataplexy can occur at any time to a person who is diagnosed by it but mostly occurs during the waking hours. People experience cataplexy when they feel a strong emotional sensation. 

Although cataplexy and narcolepsy are different from each other, narcolepsy is often accompanied by cataplexy and has its onset on children or adults more often. Narcolepsy that is accompanied by cataplexy is known as type 2 narcolepsy. Low levels of a neurotransmitter called hypocretin cause the symptoms of narcolepsy to begin. Hypocretin is a chemical that regulates wakefulness and is considered to keep the brain awake. Hypocretin is also known as Orexin. When the brain fails to produce hypocretin cells, it leads to the symptoms of Narcolepsy. Some times Narcolepsy occurs without the low levels of hypocretin. But the reason for that is still not known. 

The higher risk of narcolepsy occurs because of various reasons such as environmental factors, stressful life events or coexisting with cataplexy awaken with strong emotional sensation. Apart from that, it is also caused by a combination of genes, cells, and autoimmune disorders. An autoimmune disorder is another reason because of which narcolepsy is increasing. As the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy cells or tissues, the cells that the brain produces starts to attack the hypocretin cells. Those cells are known as a peptide. A peptide is known for disrupting other cells. 

To diagnose narcolepsy, doctors conclude the medical history and family history of the patient. Along with that, they consider the test results where they examine the levels of hypocretin. The physical exam is also required to diagnose Narcolepsy. 

Once narcolepsy is diagnosed, it can be treated with some medicines as well as some lifestyle changes. As mentioned above, the most common medicine that is used to treat narcolepsy is known as Modafinil. 

The Drug Modafinil and Its Benefits

Modafinil belongs to a group of medicines known as stimulants. It is used to reduce excessive sleepiness and is used to cure other similar sleep disorders. Although narcolepsy is an incurable disorder, modafinil helps in reducing its effect as well as helping in controlling the severe symptoms. It helps in keeping a person awake in working hours or daytime which ultimately helps with narcolepsy and the problems that occur with narcolepsy such as cataplexy. 

Modafinil changes the schedule of the patient as it helps a person to acquire a normal sleep routine. Because of the risks involved with certain medicine, modafinil should only be used for the treatment of narcolepsy, but that’s not the entire case. It should not be used to reduce the sleep of a normal person that does not show symptoms of narcolepsy. 

However, it certainly improved features of cognition for normal people who used it to enhance their ability in order to pay proper focus or attention to a particular task or to learn and remember anything. Researchers also say that the drug appeared to improve the call execute function which is the ability to process information and help it regulate, control or manage the thought processes and actions of a human. 

The call executive function is based on the involvement of planning, problem-solving, verbal reasoning, cognitive flexibility, monitoring of actions, inhibition, and attention. But the drug does not help the patients consistently rather make them feel little effects of it. 

When Do You Need to Take the Modafinil Drug? 

As mentioned above, modafinil is usually used for sleep disorders but it’s also effective to boost the focus and motivation of a person. It is a medicine like any other medicine that is swallowed with water and can be taken before or after a meal. It is usually taken in the morning so that a person can have a productive day or at noon when the person feels sleepiness or dizziness. 

The dosage simply depends on the medical condition of the patient that is why it is important to take medicines only prescribed by the doctor or pharmacist. Reading the medication guide is equally important.

Modafinil tablets are available in 100mg and 200mg. Before that, modafinil was available only for 100mg. With the first few oral intakes of modafinil, it is common to use 100mg tablets. After the prescription of the doctor, the milligrams increases to 200 to 400 as well. 

What are the Side Effects of Modafinil?

Along with the desired effects of modafinil, there are some undesired side effects of this medicine too. Although not every patient may experience side effects, it is important for every patient to at least know about them. 

• Headaches: If a patient experiences migraines then it is advised to them to not take modafinil tablets. The intake of the tablet will lead to more migraines as well as severe ones. If you’ve already taken the tablet and are experiencing a headache now, make sure to take a usual painkiller, for example,  paracetamol.
• Diarrhea: If a patient is experiencing diarrhea, it is advised to drink plenty of water to replace those fluids and eat fruits to help ease the symptoms. Oftentimes, the participant is required to have an intravenous drip to recover from the side effects.  
• Constipation: The advice mentioned for diarrhea should be implemented with the side effect of constipation as well. Drinking plenty of water and eating fruits as it also consists of several amounts of water in them. 
• Dizziness: With experiencing this side effect, it is important not to drive or use any heavy machinery. Taking a rest after having the medicine is recommendable. Or make sure to take the medicine once you are free of responsibilities. 
• Stomach ache or Indigestion: To prevent this from happening, make sure to eat simple meals. It is important to avoid eating rich or spicy food if a person experience stomach ache.   
• Dry Mouth: If a patient has a dry mouth it means the salivary glands are not making enough saliva. This might happen because of diarrhea or dehydration. Chewing sugar-free gum or sweets helps prevent dry mouth.
• Nervousness or Depression: Try contacting your GP if nervousness, depression, or difficulty in sleep occurs or becomes troublesome. 

Alternatives Medicines for Modafinil:

Armodafinil is a medicine that consists of the same racemic compounds that are present in modafinil. It was discovered that 150mg armodafinil is comparable to 200mg modafinil. Both armodafinil and modafinil belong to a class of drugs known as eugeroics which provide long-lasting mental arousal. Although they both maintain wakefulness and increases focus, it indicates that armodafinil is more effective in terms of attentiveness than modafinil.