Not sleeping can definitely drag you from deppression to mania. I understand your wife wanting to see how you handle it. It probably won't be perfect, but what is.

When I'm manic I try to do things that keep me safe, yet use up all that extra energy. I clean my house fanatically, refinish furniture, give myself projects that I can emerse myself in. I usually have many projects going so I can switch from thing to thing. Not always productive but has little hazards. You like to build furniture and things right? Could you have access to your workspace at your house so you could get a project going?