Mental alertness: what to take?

[DNW]

I've been working a lot of hours lately, and my brain is usually mushed at the end of a 11-12 hour day. I need a quick charge so I can work on a side project when I come home from work. What's good to take? Currently, I take on an almost-daily basis a multivitamin, a Ginkgo Bilboa, and a Choline pill. Should I switch something up or add something to my daily intake?

 

[KPO89]

http://www.valleynaturals.com/ct_det..._content=51218 My mom got these for me when I started taking early morning classes. They have several different kinds but I take the energy and also the "Focus" kind. The stuff gives you the edge you need to keep up the work. They've got a good assortment of B vitamins and some herbal supplements that keep you on your toes. Good stuff. I would highly recommend.

 

[Wrigglez]

cocane?

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by Wrigglez

cocane?

How about something I can find at the local pharmacy?

 

[Pennglock]

Concerta or Adderall, or coffee if you only need a couple hours concentration.

 

[Wrigglez]

do you have no-doz where you live i.e country. in Australia we have No-Doz which is a highly concerntrated caffeen pill. you con get that at a pharmacy

 

[bob99]

I know this is obvious, but nothing makes you feel mentally alert like a good night's sleep. It seems like you're obviously working a lot with 12+ hour days, and then another project. But try to get time in there for sleep, nothing beats it for restoring mental sharpness.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by Pennglock

Concerta or Adderall, or coffee if you only need a couple hours concentration.

I don't have ADHD, so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to legally get the two prescription drugs you listed. As I drink coffee all day, an extra cup after a long day doesn't actually do anything for me, mentally at least.

Originally Posted by Wrigglez

do you have no-doz where you live i.e country. in Australia we have No-Doz which is a highly concerntrated caffeen pill. you con get that at a pharmacy

Last thing I need after a long day at work is not able to go to sleep. I don't want to feel like this

.

What I'm looking for is that extra lift in mental clarity, just for a short while so I can focus on some work. I know an ADHD-type drug would do the trick, but I don't want to be sneaking around prescription drugs illegally, not to mention there's the potential for addiction [I have it bad enough for whiskeys as it is!].

 

[coldarchon]

rest a bit or meditate/ autogen training. if you take any sort of drug or medication to treat your brain for better work you will open a door that will be very hard to close forever ..

 

[Wrigglez]

i decent meal wakes me up after a 12 hrs day at work, try a big sandwitch

 

[HgaleK]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

I don't have ADHD, so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to legally get the two prescription drugs you listed. As I drink coffee all day, an extra cup after a long day doesn't actually do anything for me, mentally at least.


They're very liberal with ADHD perscriptions, especially for adults. Do your homework and then google "ADHD ADD Doctor 'insert your area here' ." Doctors who show up under those results tend to be generous to even greater extent. Ignore the stigma assosciated with these- they're the only thing widely available that works like you want.

Note: Provigil and ritalin are far to jittery to accomplish anything on for the most part- use Vyvanse or Adderall.

If you have the ability to really force yourself down and focus, broncaid or any other asthma pill from behind the counter will wake you up and give you lots of energy. Tell the wonderful ladies that you have asthma and you then have the stimulant ephedrine. Take that with some guarana and ginseng and you'll have plenty of energy.

You can stack DMAE and to the previously posted concoction, or minus the ephedrine, or alone. Use at least 2x the recommended dose, but I wouldn't go more than 4 or 5x over. It takes a day or two for it to work, but it's fairly effective at providing a bit of focus and motivation (no much in terms of energy though). It's still nothing compared to the amphetamine derivatives.


5 hour energy actually works too. It's simply caffeine + B complex, but it works wonders when compared to Monster, etc.

It's also fine to take a B complex with any of the afore mentioned things (except for the 5 hour). Be careful about ingesting more than 100mg of B6 (pyridoxine) through supplementation though. You get some through your diet, and higher doses can cause (generally reversible) never damage. Also be careful as the niacin in them can mess with your stomach.


^^^These are what work. Everything else fails pretty miserably at providing harnessable energy or just doesn't work at all.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by HgaleK

^^^These are what work. Everything else fails pretty miserably at providing harnessable energy or just doesn't work at all.

Thanks. I actually have a bottle of DMAE lying around; I'll mix it into the daily regiment. As for 5-hr energy, I've used it before, and it was quite effective. Problem is, I don't want to not able to go to sleep because of it, especially when I don't have much sleep time to begin with.

I'm not going to mess with prescription drugs. Just not worth the physical and legal risks.

Appreciate the info, though.

 

[amnesiac]

i was going to say something with caffeine and b vitamins.

i smoke during finals. some nicotine perks you up and gets you alert in my experience, but that's a whole new debate.

 

[javyn]

Spirulina works well for me.

Also, a good choline source helped me greatly as well.

 

[HgaleK]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Thanks. I actually have a bottle of DMAE lying around; I'll mix it into the daily regiment. As for 5-hr energy, I've used it before, and it was quite effective. Problem is, I don't want to not able to go to sleep because of it, especially when I don't have much sleep time to begin with. I'm not going to mess with prescription drugs. Just not worth the physical and legal risks. Appreciate the info, though.

It's all about timing. You won't be able to sleep with an active mind. Ever tried going to sleep and starting thinking about your breathing- it makes it impossible. You want whatever it is to wear off a good 2 hours before you want to crash. This means that you may well have to take it before you actually need it, or toward the end of the work day. It's also fairly safe to take downers when the effects are wearing off. 5HTP and melatonin about half an hour before you want to go to sleep will generally combat any most of your sleeping problems, and are harmless to the body.