The ultimate drug to stay awake?
In present day society, sleep has taken a backseat because there really is “too much to do, and too little time to do it.” So what we humans have done is cut down into our sleep time, often with negative, even disastrous results. But, times are changing, and we now have drugs that can in fact keep us awake for days, without needing to go to sleep. If you haven’t heard about Modafinil or equivalent drugs, perhaps now is the time.
Well, ever since it debuted during the 1990s, Modafinil has been surging in popularity, with most of the demand arising from people who wanted to have higher productivity at the expense of sleep. Modafinil is also known as Provigil. It has since been found to have some offshoot effects, including some mood elevating effects, use in ADHD, and even weight loss. But all these effects are not pronounced, nor as well known as its main purpose, namely to help the body override sleep without seemingly any major complications.
Right now, Modafinil is approved by the FDA, but is still a strictly controlled substance. The FDA approval only extends to its use in the treatment of narcolepsy, sleep disorders caused by changing work shifts, and obstructive sleep apnea. It is not sanctioned for any other use.
Nonetheless, demand for Modafinil has been rising with each year. The demands of 21st century living has spurred a greater demand on medical science to study how we may override the limiting functions of the body, in the never ending quest to achieve more out of life.
How Modafinil works is still not known for certain, but it seems to impede the substances that put us to sleep, such as dopamine, while increasing the levels and activity of those substances that do promote wakefulness, like noradrenaline. What is so special about Modanifil is it enables a person to go without sleep for up to 2 days at a stretch, whilst feeling fresh and lively throughout the entire time. This is of course, amazing. But does Modafinil come with negative side effects too?
The manufacturers of Modafinil have since come out with newer products, like armodafinil, but Modafinil remains entrenched in many people’s minds as the pill that keeps sleep at bay. Bear in mind that overuse of Modafinil will also trigger some side effects like insomnia, loss of appetite, and flushing. It should also not be considered as a sleep substitute.
That said, it is still good when you need a pill that you can pop without having to worry too much about the consequences. Modafinil has so far produced some negative side effects. While it doesn’t keep you awake forever, but a couple of days at a stretch is pretty good by me. More info on Modafinil can be found here.
