The Pros and Cons of Mixing Modafinil and Alcohol

I wouldn't call myself a drinker as such, but I do like to lay back and enjoy a good drink every now and then, especially after a hard week at work. And, even when I do drink, it's never more than I can really handle. Of course, I have friends who drink too and I join them whenever I can, either at someone's place or out at a nice new pub in town.

Thing is, I've been a working person only for 3 or 4 years now, so a routine life is still something I'm not totally adept at. It can often get tedious and tiring, leaving me feeling absolutely exhausted at the end of each day. In fact, there have been days when I've skipped the last meal of the day entirely and just plopped myself into my bed and dozed off. And I know how unhealthy that can become over the long run. 

I can still recall the day I missed out on a big project closing because I couldn't get myself out of bed on a Sunday. If only I were active and alert enough to get out of home that day and attend that meeting, I would've probably been in a much better place today. The thing about laziness is that it's very easy, you don't have to try for it, but its results can be long-lasting and very unfavorable. I guess the turning point for me was the day my sister decided to sit me down and have an intervention of sorts. She managed to knock some sense into me and awaken my mind a little. 

Finding a solution with Nootropics 

So, after a whole lot of debating, I finally decided to seek some help and find out what the solution to my constant fatigue is. Some of my friends suggested taking energy drinks at the beginning of each day but, that didn't sound like a very healthy solution to me. Some suggested exercising every morning before work, but I was all too lazy to wake up early at all. Finally, I came across an acquaintance who had been taking a nootropic that was doing wonders for him. 

Firstly, I had to understand what a nootropic is. Nootropics are brain-enhancing drugs that are safe to use and affect different parts of the brain and brain function. Nootropics come in a variety of drugs, and my friend had been taking one called Modafinil for a few months. His reviews were great, and he had only good things to say about it! Apparently, Modafinil was designed to increase a person's activeness and also take care of problems like lethargy and fatigue. It seemed like this drug was almost tailor-made for me so, I took the plunge and gave it a shot. 

Seeing results

I saw visible results in just a few days, and so did the people around me. My dosage started off at 100 mg a day, because I didn't want to overdo it or take more than my body could handle. 2 weeks into taking Modafinil, I could notice changes in my body and behaviour. I looked brighter, happier, more motivated to get through my day. Of course, I did my bit of research and learned about how I can continue to make my dosage be effective and not let it wear off too soon. I slowly increased it to 200 mg, but only on alternating days. I had read somewhere that one might develop a tolerance to Modafinil if you take it too often, so I skipped taking it on consecutive days. My concerns were also about my diet and what type of food I could consume while taking the drug. Much to my delight, there weren't any restrictions as such, and I could eat whatever I wanted. That was pretty much a relief because I’m quite a foodie and I love experimenting with new cuisines too. 

Alcohol and Modafinil

The real trouble for me though was when I got invited to a close friend’s party and it got me thinking about how everyone always advises against mixing alcohol with medication. So, I went back to the friend who introduced me to Modafinil and asked him for some real-time advice. According to his experience, consuming alcohol after taking Modafinil actually reduced his tolerance to alcohol, i.e., he got drunk quicker than he usually does. The good news though was that he didn’t suffer from a hangover the next morning and bounced back to normal without any effort. 

Thing is, I never believe in taking just one opinion on anything, so I went online and did some more research on the combination of Modafinil and alcohol. I came across several personal encounters and, get this, they were all different from the other! Some claimed that modafinil increased their tolerance to alcohol and they were able to drink into the wee hours of the night and still remain sober. Some claimed that mixing the two didn’t allow them to sleep at all and they stayed awake for 24 hours straight. Others experienced a lack of appetite and also some nausea and sickness the next day. So, long story short, there wasn’t one, definitive result for mixing alcohol and Modafinil. 

Usually, it's always safer to try not to mix medication with alcohol, but Modafinil isn't like regular drugs and can probably prep your brain to function better in terms of dealing with the after-effects of drinking. However, I wouldn't suggest making this a regular habit because it can't be too healthy for the body either way. Personally, I prefer taking Modafinil the day after I’ve had alcohol. I find that this actually helps my body recover faster and I feel a lot more active and even ready to go to work the next day! Also, the hangover is almost non-existent, which means I’m all set to take up on my routine too.