Sleep is healing. It keeps our bodies & brains going. 6 hours/night is good but 8 is optimal. I have had this situation all throughout my life. Am on good meds now & sleep pretty well. When I was super manic (beyond hypomanic) b4 I got diag. I'd sometimes go 3 or 4 months with 2-3 hours' sleep/night. I know I was not sleeping b/c I was up doing things. Then the hallucinations began, paranoia etc. So altho' the meds made me slow, made me gain weight, I do take them because sleep is so important! It does feel good when you are in the first stages of a big mania but then it can lead to wild behaviors.