Provigil is a prescription medication that is used to treat several different ailments that show a positive response to a stimulation of the central nervous system. Because Provigil works by stimulating the central nervous system it is a member of a group of drugs that operate in a similar manner known as analeptics. Provigil is most often used to treat sleep disorders but is also used to treat mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and depression. Schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease have also shown to be responsive to some extent to Provigil. Provigil is thought to achieve its results by alter the chemistry of substances in the brain.
Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by suddenly falling asleep, is the most common disorder treated by Provigil and can be controlled successfully in most people with just a single dose taken once a day. Shift work sleep disorder, a serious sleep disorder faced by those who need to work at night, is also able to be controlled with a daily dose of Provigil.