Modafinil is Problematic.

Modafinil and I go back. Way back. I've used Modafinil well over a hundred times, I've used every type of Modafinil. You name it - Armodafinil, Artvigil, Adrafinil, Modalert - I've metabolized it! While Modafinil holds a special place in my heart, it's problematic.

In this article, I'll break down ten issues with Modafinil and I'll suggest an alternative.

1. Sleep Disruption

This is the main reason why I've cut way back on my Modafinil usage. As you become more self-aware as a biohacker you realize how costly bad sleep is.

* Just a night of bad sleep has a deleterious effect on your intelligence and capacity to solve problems. According to a Time magazine article Missing an hour of sleep turns a sixth grader’s brain into that of a fourth-grader.

* If you want to make some bad decisions, get some bad sleep. It causes foolish, impulsive decision-making, from some scientific research published in the book NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children: A tired brain perseverates—it gets stuck on a wrong answer and can’t come up with a more creative solution, repeatedly returning to the same answer it already knows is erroneous.

* As you've probably experienced, bad sleep really hits your productivity, focus, and mood.

* Chronic bad sleep contributes to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and even Alzheimer's.

The pharmacological purpose of Modafinil is to keep Narcoleptics awake, if you don't have narcolepsy it may keep you from naturally falling asleep and getting good sleep. It remains in your body and affects your sleep for 15-20 hours after you consume it.

To quote tarbtl on Longecity:

"The only thing I notice is I'm able to stay "awake" longer. It completely kills deep sleep for the time it's in effect (6-8) hours so you can forget about taking naps. Also, it makes me a tad bit nauseous and makes my head feel more "swollen". That's about it as far as effects go. I took 200mg the first day and couldn't sleep that night."

There are a few things that you can do to mitigate the chances of Modafinil ruining your sleep.

* Don't take a full dose. I now cut Modafinil or Armodafinil tablets in half so I'm only doing 75 - 100 milligrams instead of the full 150 - 200.

* Dose very early. Since it stays in your system so long I only take Modafinil very early in the morning; like around 6 AM or 7 AM.

* Use tranquilizers in the evening. When it's finally time to relax; use some natural anxiolytics like Ashwagandha, CBD oil, or Apple Cider Vinegar and honey tea.

But Modafinil is a very powerful drug and even taking these steps Modafinil may result in a night of crappy sleep or hours spent tossing and turning in bed with your mind racing. This is why I use it less frequently now, I only touch it if I need a day of powerful focus and wakefulness which is worth sacrificing some of the following day's productivity.

2. Anxiety

A very frequently reported side effect of Modafinil and something I've certainly experienced is anxiety. It's a hardcore stimulant and it may make you nervous, irritable, or even paranoid. As a rule of thumb, if you start getting annoyed by little things - your family, slow people at stores, traffic, etc - while dosed on a Nootropic, you're overstimulated. Good Nootropics should put you into a state of relaxed arousal, where you're focused and motivated but also clear-headed and happy. If you're motivated yet angry you're doing it wrong!

A number of biohackers on Longecity discussed the downsides of Modafinil...

Especially counteradvised for anyone with predisposition for anxiety, OCD and generally having a cocky personality (you'll later regret the things you said on moda). I'm also unimpressed by its effect on creativity...

I have some ill effects if I use every day, especially anxiety, which is why its not a regular thing for me to use.

I also feel pretty excited (which is verging on anxiety). It's really a very surreal feeling. I'm still trying to assess whether it's pros outweigh the cons.

To avoid a minor panic attack while on Modafinil, don't combine it with too many other stimulants, go easy on the coffee (or Nicotine) add some light anxiolytics to your daily stack, like L-Theanine (drink a lot of green tea) or a small dose of a few hundred milligrams of Ashwaghanda.

3. Dopamine Desensitization

Modafinil releases a lot of Dopamine into your synapses, which is part of what makes it such an effective smart drug for many (just try having sex on it!) This can also result more problematically in Dopamine Desensitization. This could manifest in a higher tolerance to Modafinil (needing to do more of it to get the same cognition-enhancing effect) or, more concerning, it could rob the joy out of the simple, natural pleasures of life. You may find that after chronic use of Modafinil, you just don't enjoy a succulent meal or deep conversation with a friend as much. This may account for some of the personality changes discussed in this article.

To quote from a 2014 paper, Performance enhancement at the cost of potential brain plasticity...

Cognitive enhancement is no longer a scientific fiction; we must consider the unique dynamics of the developing brain and proceed cautiously until thorough safety and efficacy parameters have been established.

4. Histamine Reactions

Modafinil stands out as an ostensible Nootropic in that it hacks histamine, the neurotransmitter that you are probably well acquainted with thanks to the annoying itch you get after being bitten by a mosquito. Modafinil's wakefulness mechanism works by elevating histamine levels in the mind and body.

Boosting histamine may not have the performance-enhancing, smart drug effect that you desire.

The imminent biohacker Dr. Andrew Hill, in a Reddit AMA, shared a harrowing negative reaction he had to Modafinil

"I hate modafinil. It put me in the hospital with body-covering hives, that lasted weeks and left me with reactive histamine system for months. If you don't feel like eating today, google Erythema Multiforme Minor, to see what I