Sunosi is a prescription drug that’s prescribed for excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in certain adults. It is a controlled substance.

Sunosi (solriamfetol) is a brand-name oral tablet that’s approved to treat EDS in adults with either narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea.

Sunosi is a part of the class of drugs called dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. It is classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a controlled substance.

Learn more about Sunosi’s drug class and how long the drug stays in your system.

Sunosi is a schedule IV controlled substance. This means the drug has approved medical uses, but it also carries a risk of misuse. (Misuse refers to taking a drug in a way other than how a doctor prescribes it.)

Drugs with a lower Schedule number have a greater risk of misuse than drugs with a higher Schedule number. For example, Schedule II drugs have a greater risk of misuse than Schedule III drugs.

Is Sunosi a stimulant?

Sunosi isn’t a stimulant drug. Although Sunosi acts like a stimulant by helping you stay awake, it isn’t classified as a stimulant drug. And unlike Sunosi, stimulant drugs can cause a sudden feeling of a rush or excitement.

However, there are stimulant drugs available to treat the same conditions as Sunosi. Examples include:

Sunosi belongs to a class of drugs called dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

It’s not known exactly how Sunosi works to decrease EDS. But it could be related to the drug’s ability to prevent reabsorption of certain chemicals in your brain called dopamine and norepinephrine. This increases levels of these brain chemicals and may allow the chemicals to be used to help you stay awake. This can improve wakefulness and help you feel less tired.

Sunosi starts working as soon as you take it. But most people can feel the effects of Sunosi within 1 hour of taking it.

The half-life of Sunosi is about 7 hours. The half-life is the amount of time it takes the drug to reduce by half in the body.

It typically takes about 4 to 5 half-lives for a drug to be completely removed from your system. This means it may take about 28 to 35 hours for Sunosi to be cleared from your body.

Certain factors, such as your kidney function, may affect how long Sunosi stays in your system. If you have questions about how long your dose of Sunosi may last, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Your out-of-pocket cost for Sunosi can depend on several factors, including your insurance coverage and the pharmacy you use. For a more detailed breakdown of Sunosi’s price and ways to save in 2026, see this Sunosi cost guide.

Sunosi is a prescription drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). It is a controlled substance, which means it has a risk of misuse. But it is not a stimulant drug.

Sunosi belongs to a class of drugs called dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. It is not known exactly how Sunosi works to help improve EDS.

If you have questions about how Sunosi works and whether it is the right drug for you, talk with your doctor.

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