Are you getting ready to pull the trigger and purchase Modafinil? You’ve no doubt heard the stories of users amping up their mental energy and tapping into relentless levels of productivity. Modafinil is the nootropic by which all other nootropics are judged and measured against.

Can something this good be too good to be true? In this post I’m going to cover a few common side effects you might experience when using Modafinil.

1.) Anxiety

Anxiety can be a huge side effect of using Modafinil for some. Modafinil is a stimulant and anxiety is a common side effect of using stimulants. If you’re an overly anxious person consider steering clear of Modafinil. If you avoid coffee and caffeine because of anxiety there’s a good chance Modafinil will effect you in a similar way. If you want to go forward and try Modafinil anyway, L-Theanine is the perfect nootropic to smooth out the anxiety and deliver a wave of calmness. L-Theanine is a staple nootropic to stack with the more stimulating nootropics like Modafinil.

2.) Insomnia

This is an obvious side effect but worth mentioning. Modafinil has the potential to keep you up all night if taken too late in the day. If I want to sleep that night I have to take Modafinil at 6am. In the beginning I wasn’t aware of how long Modafinil lasted and took a 200mg Modalert at noon. It was 4am before I could finally get some shut eye. Do not underestimate the potent long lasting effects.

3.) Headaches

Some users report a slight headache on the tail end of the Modafinil duration. I’ve experienced this as well. What I’ve found is staying hydrated is crucial to not getting the headaches. Modafinil is a stimulant so you’ll be using the bathroom more often and expelling fluids. You must continuously replenish the fluids you use up.

4.) Interesting urine smell

Modafinil makes your urine smell absolutely horrible! I describe it as asparagus piss on roids. This is normal and is no cause for concern.

5.) Crash + Depression

Coming down off Modafinil it’s common to feel energetically depleted. Anytime you use a compound or drug your brain has to recalibrate back to baseline. The brain is an intricate network of neuro chemicals and always trying to balance itself. My best tip is to drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, and catch up on any sleep you missed while using Modafinil.

Minimizing Modafinil side effects

Minimizing some of the side effects from Modafinil is possible. You can easily cut down on the side effects dramatically by taking less Modafinil. Halfing your dose will not place such a potent load on your central nervous system but still deliver good wakefulness effects. In fact, taking only a portion of the dose is recommended for your first time. This allows you to get a feel for how the compound will effect you.

You can also take other nootropics alongside Modafinil to minimize negative side effects. L-Theanine and Magnesium are powerful supplements to reduce anxiety. Adaptogens like Ashwagandha are also helpful to calm the nervous system and help you get to sleep at night.

Avoid using Modafinil too many days in a row. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you require Modafinil to have any energy at all. I find Modafinil is best used for isolated events where only the most powerful boosts in energy are required. For example, I recently took Modafinil to power through an all night drive to the airport to pick up my friends mom.

Lastly, purchase your Modafinil from a reliable source to rule out quality control issues or taking something completely different.

Final thoughts + further reading

Modafinil is a powerful nootropic compound with only a handful of side effects. This is a classic case where the positive benefits  outweigh the negatives. For most people, no side effects will be experienced but it’s crucial to be aware of all the possibilities.

Read my full review of Modafinil.