SLEEP ALL NIGHT

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not generally treated with medication:

• In fact, sleeping pills and other sedatives can worsen the condition
• But if a patient suffers from excessive daytime sleepiness even while using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at night, there are medication options that can promote wakefulness
  • These drugs are available by prescription only, are not meant to be a substitute for other sleep apnea treatments, and should only be taken in addition to nightly CPAP therapy.

Modafinil or armodafinil is taken as a pill once a day to decrease sleepiness during the day:

Modafinil and armodafinil work by affecting chemicals in the brain. The effects improve alertness and memory.

Why It Is Used

Modafinil and armodafinil are used to relieve extreme sleepiness in people who are using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to treat sleep apnea but are still sleepy during the day. People who work night shifts may take modafinil to stay alert.

How Well It Works

• In people with sleep apnea who used CPAP, treatment with modafinil or armodafinil improved alertness, reduced tiredness, and improved memory
• Modafinil also hlps people who have shift work sleep disorder stay awake when they work nights
• Shift work sleep disorder is trouble sleeping during the day because you work nights. It also causes you to be sleepy at night when you need to be alert to work

Side Effects

The most common side effects of modafinil and armodafinil are:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Back pain
• Nervousness and anxiety
• Upset stomach and diarrhea
• Inflammation of the tissues in the nose (rhinitis)
• Problems sleeping (insomnia)
• Dizziness