I'll cut and paste from a previous post of mine what hypomania is like for me. This mostly describes the type of hypomania I feel right before I go full out manic. So when it first starts all these symptoms are a bit toned down...

"The world seems full of potential and everything is possible. Everything is terribly interesting to me and I have loads of "brilliant" ideas that must be acted on immediately - until the next brilliant idea comes up a few minutes later. I start project after project and volunteer for everything under the sun. I start cleaning and organizing my house like crazy. Everything must be put in order, immediately. I'm normally a very introverted person, but when I'm manic I talk to people - a lot. I call everyone I know.

Before the hypomania gets out of control, it's great. I can focus really well and all my senses are heightened. Everything seems to make sense and I feel like I understand things immediately. I do some of my best work right before things get bad.

I have unlimited energy and I don't sleep more than an hour or two a night - but I'm never tired and have no interest in sleeping. Sleeping pills have virtually no effect. Interestingly, I also have insomnia when I'm depressed, but it's infuriating then because I'm so tired and want desperately to sleep.

When I'm having a mixed episode (which I only recently learned to identify), I'm just as wired but it takes the form more of restlessness. I get bored, but instead of moving from great idea to great idea, I don't know what to do with myself. I get extremely irritable. The world seems to be filled with stupid people whose only purpose is to get in my way.

I say and do stupid things that make me really embarrassed after the fact. I've said before on these forums, that there should be a bipolar med that renders you mute as soon as you get manic. One that disconnects your phone and email and keeps you from sticking your foot in your mouth. I snap at everyone. I feel miserable, but with enough restlessness to be really aware of it and do stupid things to try and get it to go away. I usually end up self-medicating with alcohol or anything else that happens to be around."

Sorry that went on for so long, but I hope it was helpful. Hypomania is a great state for me. It just doesn't tend to stay very stable. I will say, though, that my manic states are relatively calm compared to others I know and many wouldn't consider them to be full-out mania.

You might find a mood chart (of the type available on the web and in some books) to be helpful in sorting out hypomania from your normal level of functioning. Good luck....