Modafinil: the stay-awake pill
Modafinil (Provigil, Modalert) keeps you awake and alert for most of the day. What it is licensed for, what it does for ADHD, doses, side effects, Indian brands and what users say.
Modafinil is the medicine doctors use when the problem is staying awake. It was made for narcolepsy, and in the US it is also licensed for sleepiness from sleep apnea and night-shift work. People feel more awake, alert and able to get going for most of the day, and many find it smoother than a stimulant. It is not licensed for ADHD, yet many people with ADHD try it, and it is one of the best-known “smart drugs”. Provigil is the original brand; Modalert, Modvigil and Modaheal are the popular Indian brands.
Key points
- Licensed for: narcolepsy, sleep apnea and shift work disorder in the US; narcolepsy only in the UK and EU.
- One tablet, most of the day. The usual dose is 200 mg in the morning, and it lasts long enough that it is taken early.
- For ADHD it is a maybe. It helps wakefulness and drive more reliably than focus; trials in adults were disappointing, but some people swear by it.
- Two things to know: it can make the contraceptive pill fail, and a rash means stop and get checked.
Where it is licensed
| Where | What the license says |
|---|---|
| United States | Adults with too much daytime sleepiness from narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea (on top of CPAP, not instead of it) or shift work disorder. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance. Not approved for children. |
| United Kingdom | Adults with sleepiness from narcolepsy, with or without cataplexy. Prescription-only. Not under 18. |
| European Union | Narcolepsy only. In 2010–2011 the European Medicines Agency reviewed its skin and mental-health risks and judged the evidence for sleep apnea, shift work and idiopathic hypersomnia too weak to outweigh them. |
ADHD, depression, fatigue from other illnesses, studying and, outside the US, shift work are all off-label. Here’s what off-label means.
How it works
Nobody knows exactly. Modafinil blocks the recycling of dopamine, a brain chemical tied to alertness and motivation, and its effects overlap with stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, though it is a different kind of drug. In people with experience of drugs it could produce a pleasant high, and the US controls it, though at a lower level than Adderall or Ritalin.
It peaks 2 to 4 hours after you take it (about an hour later after a meal), and its half-life is about 15 hours. That is why it is taken first thing in the morning: a dose after lunch can still keep you up at night.
How much people take
| Reason | Usual dose (US label) |
|---|---|
| Narcolepsy or sleep apnea | 200 mg once in the morning |
| Shift work disorder | 200 mg about 1 hour before your shift |
| Severe liver problems | half the usual dose |
| Older people | often a lower dose |
- Up to 400 mg a day has been well tolerated, but the US label found no consistent extra benefit over 200 mg. In the UK, doctors can go up to 400 mg, taken at once or split between morning and noon, and people over 65 start at 100 mg.
- Tablets come in 100 and 200 mg, and are swallowed whole.
- Stopping after 9 weeks caused no withdrawal symptoms in a trial, though the sleepiness came back in people with narcolepsy.
Side effects
The most common by far is a headache. In trials with 934 people on modafinil:
| Side effect | Modafinil | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Headache | 34% | 23% |
| Nausea | 11% | 3% |
| Nervousness | 7% | 3% |
| Diarrhea | 6% | 5% |
| Back pain | 6% | 5% |
| Anxiety | 5% | 1% |
| Trouble sleeping | 5% | 1% |
| Dizziness | 5% | 4% |
| Less appetite | 4% | 1% |
| Dry mouth | 4% | 2% |
| Chest pain | 3% | 1% |
| Higher blood pressure | 3% | 1% |
Headaches and anxiety went up with the dose, so the lowest dose that works is usually the most comfortable. About 8 in 100 people stopped because of side effects, against 3 in 100 on placebo.
Rare but important
- Serious rash. In children’s trials, 8 in 1,000 stopped because of a rash, including one possible Stevens-Johnson case. After approval, reports of these severe reactions ran above the normal background rate.
- Allergic reactions: swelling of the face or throat, or a reaction with fever, rash and inflamed organs, usually about two weeks in.
- Mental health: anxiety, mania, delusions, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and aggression have been reported. In the UK, people with major anxiety should only take it under a specialist.
- Heart and blood pressure. Not recommended with some heart conditions (left ventricular hypertrophy, some forms of mitral valve prolapse). In trials, 2.4 in 100 people on modafinil needed new or more blood pressure medicine, against 0.7 on placebo. The UK leaflet rules it out with uncontrolled moderate to severe high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems.
- You may still be sleepy. It improves wakefulness but may not bring it back to normal, so don’t assume you are safe to drive.
The pill, pregnancy and breastfeeding
Modafinil speeds up how fast your body clears hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, so they may fail. Use another method while taking it and for one month after stopping (US label) or two months (UK leaflet). The UK leaflet also says modafinil is suspected of causing birth defects and should not be used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Medicines that don’t mix
- Lowered by modafinil: hormonal contraceptives, cyclosporine, midazolam, triazolam and quetiapine.
- Raised by modafinil: diazepam, phenytoin, propranolol, omeprazole, clomipramine, and some antidepressants in people who process them slowly.
- Warfarin: more frequent blood checks.
- MAOI antidepressants: use with caution.
- Carbamazepine, phenobarbital and rifampin can weaken modafinil; ketoconazole and erythromycin can strengthen it.
Modafinil for ADHD
This is the big question, and the answer depends on age.
- Children and teens: three 7- to 9-week trials, using up to 425 mg a day, did improve ADHD symptoms, and a 2017 review of five trials found a clear benefit at home and at school. But 3 of the 933 children in the program developed a serious rash, one possibly Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Modafinil was never approved for ADHD.
- Adults: small studies looked promising. A single 200 mg dose sharpened memory, planning and self-control in 20 adults, and in a 22-person study modafinil helped about as much as dextroamphetamine. Then the biggest adult trial, 330 people for 9 weeks at 255 to 510 mg a day, found no benefit over placebo, and a large 2018 comparison in The Lancet Psychiatry agreed.
So for adults it is a long shot on paper. In practice, some people with ADHD find it gives them the wakefulness and drive to get started, especially when stimulants and atomoxetine don’t suit them. If you want to try it, it is a conversation for your prescriber.
Other off-label uses
| Use | Study | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Add-on for depression | Review of 6 trials, 910 adults with major or bipolar depression | Modest improvement in mood and remission, including tiredness; side effects no worse than placebo |
| Fatigue in multiple sclerosis | Trial in 136 patients, 2021 | No better than placebo, more side effects |
| Sharper thinking in healthy, rested people | Review of studies from 1990 to 2014; a 2021 trial against caffeine and methylphenidate | The review found better attention, planning and learning on demanding tests; the 2021 trial found no measurable effect from modafinil |
| Cocaine dependence | Review of 11 trials, 896 people | Overall no better than placebo |
Indian brands: Modalert, Modvigil, Modaheal
The modafinil most people buy online comes from India. Modalert is made by Sun Pharma, Modvigil by HAB Pharmaceuticals and Modaheal by Healing Pharma India. Each contains the same modafinil as Provigil, usually as 200 mg tablets (Modalert and Modaheal also come as 100 mg). See how they compare on Indian brands.
What people say
From 90 Reddit threads about modafinil, 2011 to 2026. These are personal stories, not evidence; the numbers count threads, not people.
- Awake, not always focused (31 threads). The most common verdict in ADHD groups: more energy and drive, the daydreaming stays. “It didn’t help my day dreaming or my focus at all” (r/ADHD).
- Gentler than a stimulant (22 threads). “Far less intrusive, didn’t really feel like I was “on” something, but felt quite awake, but my motivation was super high” (r/Nootropics).
- Not an Adderall swap (37 threads compare them). “people need to stop trying to replace a speed with a narcolepsy/awakeful drug” (r/modafinil).
- Headaches, drink water (16 threads). “it does seem to make me super thirsty so I’ve constantly been drinking water” (r/MultipleSclerosis).
- The afternoon dip (8 threads). “it’s really great until 3 or 4pm when it wears off (I take it around 9am). It’s hard not to crash at that point” (r/Narcolepsy).
- Edgy or low as it wears off (25 threads). “While there may be no chronic withdrawal I would feel acute comedown depression effects” (r/depressionregimens). Tell your prescriber about mood changes.
- A night-shift lifeline (11 threads). “Shift worker sleep disorder is in the ICD 10 and is an indication for modafinil” (r/nursing). True in the US; in the UK and EU it is off-label.
- Studying (22 threads). “I find that modafinil increases energy and motivation but impairs working memory” (r/Nootropics).
- Keeping it in check. “I do wonder sometimes if I take the modafinil in an addictive way, since I still haven’t managed to lower the dose” (r/ADHD).
Where to buy
Generic modafinil is sold online, for example modafinil from ExpatMeds with international delivery, Provigil from BrightPharm in the UK, Provigil from Onyx Pills in Canada and Modalert from PharmLocker. Modafinil is controlled in the US and prescription-only in the UK; see how to use this guide on checking your own country’s rules. More pharmacies by country are on where to buy.
Questions people ask
Is modafinil a stimulant?
Not in the classic sense: regulators call it a wakefulness-promoting agent. It does act on dopamine and overlaps with stimulants, and the US lists it as Schedule IV, a lower level than Adderall or Ritalin.
Does modafinil help ADHD?
Sometimes. It reliably helps wakefulness and drive; for focus the evidence is mixed. Trials in children worked but raised rash concerns, and the biggest adult trial found no benefit. Some adults still find it useful, especially when stimulants don’t suit them.
Is Modalert the same as Provigil?
Yes, same medicine: modafinil. Modalert is Sun Pharma’s Indian brand, usually 200 mg tablets. Modvigil and Modaheal are other Indian brands. See Indian brands.
How long does modafinil last?
It peaks 2 to 4 hours after a dose and has a half-life of about 15 hours, so most people feel it for much of the day. Take it in the morning, or an hour before a night shift.
Is modafinil legal?
It depends on where you are. In the US it is a Schedule IV controlled substance; in the UK it is a prescription-only medicine. Other countries have their own rules, and checking them is up to you; we are not legal advisers. See how to use this guide.
Can I take modafinil with the pill?
Not on its own: modafinil can make hormonal contraception fail. Use another method too, during treatment and for one to two months after stopping.
Sources
Checked 17 October 2026.
- Provigil (modafinil) prescribing information, revised March 2025 — Cephalon, via DailyMed
- Modafinil 100 mg tablets, summary of product characteristics (UK) — electronic medicines compendium (UK)
- Questions and answers on the review of medicines containing modafinil (EMA/725532/2010) — European Medicines Agency
- Modafinil for ADHD in children and adolescents, meta-analysis of five trials (Wang et al., 2017) — Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Modafinil for adults with ADHD, 9-week dose-finding trial (Arnold et al., 2014) — Journal of Attention Disorders
- Modafinil compared with dextroamphetamine in adults with ADHD (Taylor and Russo, 2000) — Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
- Modafinil improves cognition and response inhibition in adult ADHD (Turner et al., 2004) — Biological Psychiatry
- Comparative efficacy and tolerability of ADHD medications, network meta-analysis (Cortese et al., 2018) — The Lancet Psychiatry
- Modafinil augmentation in unipolar and bipolar depression, meta-analysis (Goss et al., 2013) — Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
- Amantadine, modafinil and methylphenidate for fatigue in multiple sclerosis (TRIUMPHANT-MS, Nourbakhsh et al., 2021) — The Lancet Neurology
- Modafinil for cognitive neuroenhancement in healthy non-sleep-deprived subjects, systematic review (Battleday and Brem, 2015) — European Neuropsychopharmacology
- Methylphenidate, modafinil and caffeine for cognitive enhancement, randomised trial (Repantis et al., 2021) — Psychopharmacology
- Modafinil for cocaine dependence, systematic review and meta-analysis (Sangroula et al., 2017) — Substance Use and Misuse
- Modalert 200 tablet (marketer Sun Pharmaceutical Industries) — Tata 1mg (India)