[pawn78]

After a couple of decades of dealing with bipolar disorder type 1, I have figured out a very accurate mood episode identifier.

Sleep.

Depressed: sleeping 10+ hours, still tired.
Stable: sleeping 7-9 hours, normal person.
Hypomanic: sleeping 4-6 hours, wired.
Manic: sleep? Wtf is sleep?!

[muller1209]

Originally Posted by pawn78

After a couple of decades of dealing with bipolar disorder type 1, I have figured out a very accurate mood episode identifier.

Sleep.

Depressed: sleeping 10+ hours, still tired.
Stable: sleeping 7-9 hours, normal person.
Hypomanic: sleeping 4-6 hours, wired.
Manic: sleep? Wtf is sleep?!

seems close to my sleep pattern. although when I am depressed I do have a hard time falling asleep, and i wake early but lack of energy and i go right back to bed so in totall it is 9 to 10 hrs of sleep

[Double Edge]

Originally Posted by pawn78

After a couple of decades of dealing with bipolar disorder type 1, I have figured out a very accurate mood episode identifier.

Sleep.

Depressed: sleeping 10+ hours, still tired.
Stable: sleeping 7-9 hours, normal person.
Hypomanic: sleeping 4-6 hours, wired.
Manic: sleep? Wtf is sleep?!

This is really interesting to me. I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar I (this past Monday), and this is almost my exact sleeping pattern for as long as I can remember. Of course, I never suspected a manic episode when I couldn't sleep for days. I just thought I had bad insomnia.

When I'm depressed, I easily sleep 12–16 hours and still feel tired. I feel a little groggy with 8–9 hours of sleep, though. I don't really ever get the "normal person" feeling though—I'm either sleeping way too much and feeling tired, way too little and feeling wide awake, or not at all and just feeling... well, you know. 4–6 hours seems like my "normal," but I do feel "wired," like you describe, so don't know how "normal" that really is...

[Love&Toil]

Originally Posted by pawn78

Depressed: sleeping 10+ hours, still tired.
Stable: sleeping 7-9 hours, normal person.
Hypomanic: sleeping 4-6 hours, wired.

My pattern too.

[ladybug5]

trouble napping due to RLS...makes me more irritable. I have broken sleep too and need a nap. I think i would lneed a nap anyways due to bipolar. i need to track all this. thanks!

[mitziez]

I have the same sleeping pattern. Although for years (before being diagnosed BPI) I use to think it was insomnia. When depressed I sleep alot, when manic or hypomanic I sleep very little.


Depressed, I can't get enough sleep...Manic/hyponanic I could careless about sleeping.

Strange how this disorder works!

[heartnSoul]

I completely agree. I want to get one of those fitness bracelets that track your steps and sleeping patterns so next time I get asked I'll know exactly how long my manic and depressive states were.

[pawn78]

I was sleeping 4-6 hours for several weeks, and definitely behaving hypomanic. The past week or so, I have been sleeping 7-9 hours. I guess that means I am stable, but compared to hypomania, IT FEELS LIKE DEPRESSION! I know I am not really depressed, because I am sleeping normal, not tired, and functioning normal.

However, my wife and I are most likely splitting up, and kids are involved, so I am very fearful of going into a depression.
If I do start having serious depression symptoms, I am contacting my doctor right away. Not going to lay down and suffer without a fight this time!

i have a hard time distingiushing between my cirrcadian rhythm disorder and my bipolar sleep patterns...

when totally stable my usual sleep pattern is to sleep from 4 am till about noon, and sleeping 10 to 12 hours at a time isnt unusual now and then.
when im manic i skip days at a time but i dont feel all energetic and happy, i just feel jetlagged. active but glitchy inside.

[Auja11007]

I've used logs for sleep and other habits as identifiers for reoccurring episodes. I made templates for myself using examples I found online. I also share some of them with my family so they can help me see this too.

Here's a link to where I uploaded them on my blog. Maybe they might be something to help others too. The ones I found online were too small to print or you had to pay for them.

I've noticed my diet and exercise have a lot to do with my sleep patterns and when I feel manic depression I sleep too much but have nightmares and don't sleep well and during mania I barely sleep but can have similar dreams.

The World Through My Eyes: Bipolar Tool Box.

Tracking every little factor is time consuming but during episodes I've actually found myself eager to grab my mood log journal to get out my emotions for a small instant relief.