Modafinil is perhaps the greatest nootropic compound for keeping you wide awake with minimal side effects. It does exactly what it was designed for. The thing is, for some people Modafinil lasts way too long and interferes with sleep. If you’re not getting a restorative sleep you’re setting yourself up for even lower levels of energy.

This is why it’s crucial to understand how long Modafinil lasts, and most importantly, how long Modafinil lasts for you. Modafinil will effect everyone in a different way due to differences in biochemistry.

Even though Modafinil is prescribed for conditions like Narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder, this is not something you want to take everyday unless you have a serious condition or you require absolute alertness to keep you safe. A good example is a road trip where you must drive through the night no matter what.

Modafinil half life

Modafinil has a 15 hour life meaning it takes 15 hours for half of the drug to leave your system. In terms of drugs Modafinil has a very long duration of action. The Modafinil half life even outlasts commonly prescribed stimulants like Adderall. You can expect to feel the effects of Modafinil for the entire day and if taken too late, throughout the night as well. If I’m going to take a 200mg Modalert I make sure to take it by 6am or I know I’ll be up all night. Modafinil is a powerful compound.

How long does Modafinil take to kick in?

You’ll begin feeling the effects of the Modafinil anywhere from 20 – 60 minutes depending on how fast your body metabolizes the compound. The onset can come on quick for some individuals while for others it can take up to an hour. I personally begin to feel the effects at 30 minutes and at hour 1 the full power of the compound has come into play.

At first I perceive an ever so slight change in my energy levels. This energy builds up over the course of an hour until I begin to experience the full effects. The Modafinil experience is subtle. It’s not like adderall or any other stimulant for that matter. You simply feel extremely awake but not in a drugged out sense. Imagine the energy you had in your younger years or the energy you have after a full 8 hours of sleep. You can be completely under slept, feel like garbage, but take Modafinil and begin to feel like you slept like a baby the night before. It puts a little pep in the step.

Tips for taking Modafinil

If you’re taking Modafinil, let’s say a Modalert 200mg tablet there are a few things you can do if you still want to maintain your normal sleep schedule. First, understand that Modafinil lasts a very long time. If it’s your first time taking Modafinil I recommend splitting the 200mg tablet in half and take it very early in the morning. In my experiments with Modafinil I’ve found an entire 200mg Modalert tablet is way too much. You can still get great effects from taking half, and the chances of you getting to sleep that night are good, or at the very least increased.

Once you know how your body reacts to a half tablet of Modalert 200mg then you can decide if you want to increase your dose the next time you take it. Take note of whether or not your main sleep schedule was effected. If you found it took you an hour longer to fall asleep, take the Modafinil an hour sooner next time you take a dose.

Take note that caffeine and coffee is greatly potentiated by Modafinil. The effects of caffeine are much more pronounced. The Modafinil and coffee combo is too strong for some individuals and if you’re prone to anxiety or jitters from too much coffee, consider avoiding coffee all together or pick up some L-Theanine. L-Theanine drastically reduces the negative effects of common stimulants, especially caffeine.

Modafinil does behave like a slight stimulant so you may experience side effects like increased heart rate and anxiety. Once again, L-Theanine can be taken alongside Modafinil to reduce these negative effects completely.

I recommend checking out The Modafinil Manual for loaded down insights into the compound alongside a ton of pro tips on using Modafinil effectively.