Modalert Tablet is a powerful medication that helps improve alertness and reduces fatigue. It works by stimulating your central nervous system and influencing levels of certain chemicals.

Other medications have also been used to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. Amphetamines, including dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate), can increase alertness. They are effective but have significant side effects.

Increased Alertness

There are a number of alertness-enhancing medications available to help with sleepiness and cataplexy in narcolepsy. Modafinil (Provigil and Nuvigil) is a popular medication that improves alertness by increasing brain levels of dopamine, which acts as a wake-promoting chemical. It is also likely to increase blood pressure and heart rate, although in many people this effect is very mild.

Other alertness-enhancing medications include amphetamines, dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate). All of these medications increase alertness by increasing brain levels of dopamine, but they can have some unwanted side effects including jitteriness, nausea, stomach pain, dry mouth, tremor, anxiety, nervousness, excitement, and headache.

In general, most people with narcolepsy notice large improvements in their alertness when medications are optimized and their other sleep disorders are under control. These medications often produce the best results for reducing sleepiness and improving cataplexy, but finding the right balance can take time. Medications are often a core therapy for narcolepsy, and the best results occur when they are used consistently.

Reduced Insomnia

A common symptom of narcolepsy is sleepiness, which can make it hard to stay awake. It can also cause problems in social situations because it can be misinterpreted as laziness or staying up too late at night. It is important to talk to friends and family about your narcolepsy, so they can understand and support you.

Some medicines can cause drowsiness, so you should check with your doctor to see which ones you need to avoid taking during the day. You can also ask your pharmacist about non-drowsy alternatives.

Modalert improves sleepiness during the night in people with narcolepsy. It also helps prevent excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. In addition, it reduces the risk of accidents caused by sleepiness while driving.

The effect was observed in a three-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The participants underwent evaluations with the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (Dinges and Powell 1985), a self-administered Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, and SF-36.

Increased Focus

Medications are an essential part of the treatment for most people with narcolepsy. They improve alertness and help prevent cataplexy. In addition, they can reduce the risk of accidents caused by excessive sleepiness or sudden loss of muscle control (cataplexy).

Many people with narcolepsy find that their alertness is improved by modafinil tablet or armodafinil, a related medication. These drugs increase brain levels of the wake-promoting chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. They have also been shown to improve vigilance and ability to stay awake on the Psychomotor Vigilance Test in double-blind placebo-controlled studies. 

Another new medication, solriamfetol, can improve alertness in some people with narcolepsy by increasing brain levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. It must not be taken with a monamine oxidase inhibitor, and higher doses can cause side effects including nausea, increased blood pressure, headache and anxiety.

Other medications that can improve alertness include amphetamines and methylphenidate, which have been used since the 1930s. However, these medications have relatively unpleasant side effects such as jitteriness, abdominal pain, nervousness and dry mouth. They may be inappropriate for children or young adults, and they should not be used with other sedating medications such as antidepressants or benzodiazepines.

Reduced Fatigue

Research has shown that modalert improves symptoms of narcolepsy, such as excessive sleepiness and cataplexy. It does so by increasing daytime alertness, reducing sleep disruptions at night, and improving quality of life. It has also been used off-label to help people with other disorders, including Parkinson's Disease, ADHD, and chronic fatigue syndrome stay alert.

Narcolepsy is a long-term disorder that can cause significant fatigue during the day. People with narcolepsy often require treatment to help them cope with the condition and reduce the symptoms.

Medications are the core therapy for narcolepsy and many people have large improvements in their symptoms after a while. The most common medications include modafinil (Provigil and Nuvigil), amphetamines, and oxybates.

All of these medications increase levels of the wake-promoting chemical dopamine, and they may also increase other brain chemicals that promote alertness. Oxybates also provide sedation, and they are often used to treat cataplexy. (Learn more about these medications in Medications for Narcolepsy). They all have side effects and some are not suitable for everyone, so it is important to find the right medication.