[cocoabeans]

I don't feel like sleeping. I know I should and I realize if I don't, I'm more likely to react impulsively and go on some raging tangent to result in bad things but it is like bubbles on my brain...I can't sleep! I tried! Maybe, that was yesterday though.

Doc gave me 50 mg of regular release Seroquel. Doesn't do anything anymore except if I do manage to fall asleep when I wake up a few hours later I'm groggy and groggy makes me angry!!!!!

What now?

I know that we're supposed to watch our sleep habits and mood swings but, not sleeping seems to be handled best when I could simply shrug my shoulders and go through the day. If my mood charting has anything to do with anything, I'm quite unstable anyway! Really, worrying about not sleeping seems to have to good effects?

Maybe put the sleep concerns in the basket with the worries over happiness vs hypomania and burn 'em?

[ManicDad]

You sound a lot like me. My sleep is **** these days. It could be worse, but it also used to be a lot better. When I don't sleep, I get all crazy hypomanic and that makes everything 10x worse. Then I really don't sleep and I just get crazier.

[cocoabeans]

Haha! That doesn't help!

[ManicDad]

Well, no. It probably doesn't.

Hmmm. The counting sheep thing doesn't work for me. Warm milk doesn't work for me either. Just lying down quietly won't do it either. I have similar issues with Seroquel, so that's not gonna work. I wouldn't really suggest taking pills to sleep anyway --- too easy to get into a habit that way.

Reverse psychology? Like "I totally don't wanna sleep tonight, instead I wanna put together this ridiculous 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle"? That might not work either, but I guess it's worth a shot.

[Confusedinomicon]

If you get in a pattern of sleeping around the same time your body tends to automatically get "sleepy" during that time. It's all about staying on somewhat of a schedule.

Problem is, not sleeping will have negative effects on ANYONE past the first day of sleep deprivation. The first day you usually feel find but after that the mind generally deteriorates. Since it's said that there is an anti-depressant effect after the first day of sleep deprivation, I have a feeling enough of x neurotransmitter is released that exacerbates the manic symptoms. (As many people with BP are triggered by anti-depressants alone)

[SmokeyPoole2012]

Lack of sleep causes more problems. At least take a nap once in a while.

I have episodes of mania that last for 3-4 weeks this always happen after 3-4 months of depression. And like all of us BP's I Love The Mania. I feel on top of the world after hating myself and life for months so I don't restrain myself and the next thing I know I have mixed episodes of ups and downs. I'm pretty sure it's because of lack of sleep. When I do make an effort to at least take a nap during the day (while sleeping 4-6 hours at night) it helps to keep the moods stable.