Modafinil and alcohol mix | What you should know

is mixing Modafinil and alcohol a good idea?

Well, that depends on who you ask.

Science is not concrete, but common sense tells us: NO! Taking modafinil and then drinking alcohol is not good for the body. In fact, far from it.

In this detailed guide, we'll break down exactly what you need to know about alcohol consumption and modafinil. We've taken a look at the few research studies on the topic while detailing user experiences.

Everything you MUST know to stay safe when mixing these substances can be found below.

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How does modafinil work?

To fully understand how Modafinil works, we need to take a look at the history of this nootropic and why it was initially created.

Created in France during the 1970s as a pharmaceutical grade wakefulness agent, Modafinil was designed to make it very difficult to feel fatigue or fall asleep.1].

The medication was created for people suffering from sleep-related ailments, such as [2]:

• Narcolepsy
• severe sleep apnea
• Shift sleep disorder

The drug quickly made its way to the United States, and that's when graduate students, startup CEOs, and other high achievers began to become aware of the crazy off-label uses of modafinil.

Off-label uses and benefits such as [3]:

• Ability to stay focused for more than 12 hours
• Minimal side effects
• Improved memory retention and retrieval.
• Improved overall cognitive function
• Greater productivity and daily production.
• Improved mood and feeling of well-being.

Basically, people would take Modafinil for off-label purposes as a smart drug or nootropic. When using Modafinil for these purposes, many users reported feeling their brain "supercharged", allowing them to stay one step ahead of the competition.

This is why modafinil has become exceptionally popular.

Because nootropics promise incredible cognitive benefits that guarantee you'll get more done, improve your grades in college, and/or make more money.

There's a good reason why Modafinil is the number one nootropic in the world...

Modafinil just works.

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How does alcohol work?

You know the basics of how alcohol works on the mind and body...

People drink to relax, enjoy social events, feel uninhibited, etc. It is a social “drug” in most cases, rarely used to “focus” or anything like that.

While modafinil tends to make people more productive, alcohol offers the opposite.

No one is more productive when they drink than when they are sober. Well, except alcoholics. Functional alcoholics.

Alcohol acts within the body and brain as a depressant [4].And although modafinil is not technically a stimulant due to how this smart drug works in the brain, there is no denying that it has stimulant-like effects.

Modafinil and alcohol are therefore essentially opposites. An advantage and a disappointment.

While Modafinil basically stimulates neurotransmitters designed to make us feel more focused and alert [5] — alcohol attacks certain neurotransmitters that make us feel relaxed, uninhibited and even tired [6].

Look, both alcohol and modafinil [7] affect two specific neurotransmitters in the brain [8]:

• GABA
• Glutamate

However, they affect these neurotransmitters in different ways, which can be dangerous.

Alcohol essentially increases GABA activity in the brain, while decreasing glutamate production. Modafinil does the opposite.

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Modafinil and alcohol mix | What the studies say

Although mixing modafinil and alcohol confuses the brain and neurotransmitters, we do not recommend it. Mixing alcohol and prescription medications is a slippery slope that can lead to dangerous situations.

And we're not the only ones who say that. Many doctors warn against this practice. Hell, it's specifically instructed not to do this [2]:

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking modafinil.

However, much reasoning is never given as to the "why?" in all the literature I have found. Many sites say that mixing alcohol and modafinil is a bad idea, but no reasoning is given. Mixing prescription drugs and alcohol is just supposed to be a horrible idea.

Which is generally best practice. DO NOT mix prescription medications with alcohol.

There was a full study on the effects, but the results were never published [9]:

Completed: This study must be completed as it was closed before 2007 and the researcher has since retired.No records available.

In general, you won't find much information in the medical community about the effects of alcohol while taking smart drugs.

It is generally considered a bad idea. Doctors don't want people to mix prescription medications with alcohol, but they don't give the full reasoning.

However, when we look at the above information on GABA and glutamate, it is easy to see where the danger lies.

Modafinil and alcohol affect the brain in completely opposite ways. As such, the amount of stress placed on neurotransmitters by combining these two substances is simply not safe. That is, your brain is in the "danger zone" when combining these two powerful substances.

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Dangers of mixing alcohol and modafinil

So what is the downside of mixing modafinil and alcohol? What are the negative consequences of such a combination? We'll see.

Here are some anecdotal observations:

• You feel good: This could be positive or negative, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it can be dangerous. When you drink alcohol after taking Modafinil, you will often feel great. You will feel the positive effects of liquor without any of the negatives. This often leads to excessive drinking, as people feel good and don't realize how drunk they are. This usually ends when people drink much more than their normal limit.
• Drunk without knowing it faster: While you won't feel it, many report getting drunk faster when taking Modafinil. Essentially, the “body” will get drunk, but the mind will not feel it. Modafinil suppresses appetite. Therefore, many users do not eat much during the day when taking the smart drug. Then they go out at night drinking and end up getting drunk much faster due to the lack of food in their stomach and the smart drug.The problem remains that it is almost impossible to feel how drunk you are when taking this nootropic.
• To get sick: Many users report terrible hangovers when mixing alcohol and Modafinil. Some even claim to get sick for a few days after consuming a combination of smart drugs and alcohol. That's not good. It is not recommended to drink heavily after taking 200 mg of Modafinil or more as the hangover could be hellish.
• Long half-life: Modafinil has a long half-life. If you take the pill at 7:00 a.m. m., the effects will continue to course through your body at midnight. As such, you cannot take Modafinil on the same day you plan to drink and expect the two substances not to mix. That's simply not how modafinil works.
• Not recommended: Last but not least, no doctor has ever recommended this combination. To keep things simple, you should try to avoid mixing these two substances whenever possible. Digesting smart drugs and alcohol at the same time is difficult for the body.

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Any benefits?

While alcohol and Modafinil Certainly not recommended, mixing the two has some benefits.

Here are some benefits that others have reported:

• Can't turn off: When you mix this nootropic with alcohol, you may find it almost impossible to pass out. You will be able to drink a lot without fear of passing out or forgetting what happened during the night. Modafinil improves cognition whether you are sober or drunk.
• Greater tolerance: Modafinil will increase your tolerance to alcohol. You will be able to drink more than usual after a day using the nootropic because your mind will not feel the intoxication. Some consider this a positive, especially if they are looking to rage all night.
• Hangover cure: While drinking modafinil isn't our cup of tea, many are big fans of it. take modafinil on days when you have a hangover. There's nothing like waking up feeling terrible and taking 200 mg of Modafinil. You'll be productive in two hours instead of sitting in bed all day.

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Three specific situations

Alright, now that you know a little more about how to mix modafinil and alcohol, let's look at three different ways people mix the two powerful substances.

This is how modafinil and alcohol are usually mixed:

Drink the day after consuming modafinil

This shouldn't be a problem. Modafinil only has a half-life of about 15 hours. If you take Modafinil and go to sleep, then wake up the next day and start drinking, the effects of the smart drug will probably have worn off.

You will be able to drink normally without any change in the effect, drunkenness or hangover.

While modafinil can be harmful to the immune system, drinking can be too. Be careful not to accumulate too many of these days together.

Drink after taking modafinil in the morning

This seems to be the most common situation.

Someone takes the smart drug in the morning and then goes out with friends to drink at night. During these situations, the effects of modafinil are still in play due to its half-life.

Your tolerance levels will increase and you should feel fine, but you may find yourself getting drunk faster due to the lack of food consumption. The next day it is common to have a terrible hangover due to excessive consumption of Modafinil.

Drink immediately after taking modafinil

Some users report taking Modafinil immediately before a big night out. This is similar to users mixing Adderall and alcohol to ensure they can party all night.

Modafinil will keep you awake for hours, no matter how much alcohol you consume.

This is not recommended.

You may end up in a state where you can't sleep, but you're so drunk that your body needs to pass out. It can be dangerous and complicated. Avoid this.

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Modafinil and alcohol | The verdict

In general, mixing alcohol and smart drugs is not recommended.

It's just not a good idea for the body, especially on a regular basis. Use your Modafinil time for productive activities and drink on different days.

The main reason…

The possibilities of finally experiencing dangerous side effects of both substances increase drastically when mixing alcohol and Modafinil. Important side effects that are otherwise rare when using the two substances separately.

Modafinil is for work. Alcohol is for playing. Don't mix the two!

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