It is what this is about it, but also much more. The theory, which has received evidentiary validation, is that bipolar is a circadian rhythm dysregulation disorder. The therapy has been developed as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. German terms ZEITGEBER and ZEITSTOERER are used.

ZEITGEBER: literally ZEIT means TIME and GEBER means GIVER. These are events, patterns, routines, and prompts that organize us. For example, if you go to a weekly or monthly event, that is a ZEITGEBER for you. If you eat dinner or, in your case, wake up in a certain window of time, it is a ZEITGEBER for you. ZEITGEBERS are good for us as they have build a robust system that protects against the intrinsic tendency towards circadian rhythm dysregulation.

ZEITSTOERERs break, disrupt those routines - they are the oppose of ZEITGEBERS. Say, a person loses employment or gets a divorce - in addition to psychologically difficult emotions these events bring about, there is powerful tendency to destroy the rhythms that had been built into that person's days, weeks and months. No more family meals - out goes the daily rhythm of gathering around the table. No more job - the person no longer gets up at a certain time. These ZEITSTORERS act independently and in addition to the psychological burden of negative events, triggering episodes. That is why it is particularly difficult, but also particularly helpful, to have a routine when on disability, without work organizing your day externally.

Using your analogy, after introducing many ZEITGEBERS into your routine, you train yourself.