[Phoenix_1]

What's the connection between sleep and bipolar disorder? I spent 3 nights with only 2 hours of sleep a night, then experienced a very bad mixed state. I was suicidal and manic at the same time - very bad. I feel much better today - it was only a 24 hour thing, but it was awful.

BTW, I've been away for a year or so. My psychiatrist moved home to India in April 2012, so I was without a doctor for 16 months. I didn't truly believe that I was bipolar, but my new doctor is awesome and he convinced me. I'm baaaack !!!

Hope everybody's doing ok. I'll be here often.

[A Red Panda]

Well, the way sleep affects each of us can be rather unique.

However. Typically if you get very little sleep and aren't really tired? That's going to be (hypo)mania. The sleep might stop because of it, or it might trigger an episode.

With sleeping too much and being tired all the time? That can trigger depression or be a sign that it's there already.

I can definitely see how no sleep could trigger a mixed episode!

If my sleep gets out of whack, so does my mood.

Simplified - the more sleep I get, the more depressed I am, the less sleep I get the higher I am.

I agree Supanova. My T doesn't understand that when I get 8 hours a night, I start to get depressed. But, I do need more than what I'm getting.

[Kanyon]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I'm a terrible sleeper. I didn't realize the more we sleep the more we're depressed. I thought just the opposite. I think I have sleep apnea as well. So I wake tired most mornings. If I don't sleep much I feel like my day is going to be a waste. No energy etc... I'm not sure if its sleep apnea or the Bi polar. I'm going try to be more regular about when I go to bed and when I awake. I'm on disability so I don't work. In my earlier life I always had to be up early and hated. Now I certainly enjoy a small sleep in followed by reading and being on this website. I'm new hear... In just afew days you all have helped me.

[LacunaCoiler]

Ok. So it’s good to know that I’m not the only one still arguing about too much sleep and depression with my T. If I get too much sleep I get depressed and if I get very little sleep I’m very manic. If I go days without sleeping I get really bad mixed episodes or even worse rapid cycling.

Kanyon, the first thing my T did after lab work was a sleep apnea test. Granted, it took me two years of arguing about my sleep and not needing it to finally get it done (thanks to my gf’s military shrink). When it was all said and done I hit REM sleep no more than 2 times and I neurologically wake up over 200 times a night. My shrink says this is extremely common with Bipolar people. So maybe you should bring up a sleep apnea test with your T. Between my sleeping pills and my sleep apnea machine, I wake up with no problem and feeling great. Not that I need the more energy, but my concentration is often better or even too hypersensitive.

[A Red Panda]

Oh wow, Are you Suffering! So the sleep apnea test let you know how many times you wake up??

I should probably ask about getting one of those down. I'm a horrible sleeper and I really try!

[~Christina]

I have no idea what Sleep is

[Amelie10]

My sleep is the absolute best indicator of my mood. If I am getting 7-8 hours and not taking regular naps, then I am stable. When I am stable, however, I can take a nap on the weekend and enjoy it. As soon as I start having trouble going to sleep at night, I know that change is coming.

Once the hypomania kicks in, I have to take meds to sleep. Doing this keeps me from getting out of control.

When I start feeling tired and I need a nap every day, then I know that depression is on it's way. Once I tweak my meds, I can't really take a nap anymore and that is very difficult for me because it makes the day feel very long.

I know some people have a lot of success with a tight sleep schedule, but that has never really worked for me.