(This is one of the most popular blog posts from last year so I wanted to share it again. Mania can sneak up on you during the holidays.) Manic sleeping problems are different from insomnia in many ways- with insomnia you’re tired,you want to sleep,you toss and turn,you worry about how tired you will be in the morning,you want medication relief. With mania! Whew! you want to stay up,you’re wide awake and doing something,you have unlimited energy,a racing mind,lots of creative thoughts (whether they are truly creative or not,they feel creative.) You have no desire to get in bed and sleeping feels like a real waste of time. It takes more meds to knock you out and there is a chance you will be even more manic the next day. Here are some of the things you may think when you’re manic at night:–Sleep [ Read More ]
It’s hard to write about mania considering that I have been in a downswing for a week,but it’s a topic I have to continually address- I hear stories all summer about people who go off their meds because they feel so GREAT and then the disasters that follow. It’s easy to think –the sun is just so WONDERUFL!!!!!! when the weather gets nice,you’re off school,you have a vacation,the kids are home,etc. There is no doubt that summer is wonderful if you were depressed in the winter- but this is just a friendly reminder that when things get WONDERFUL!!!!!,it’s time to check for mania. Here are some questions to ask yourself –or ask the person you care about. 1. Are you sleeping a lot less than what is considered the norm- but are still filled with energy the next day? The norm is six to eight hours- mania sleep [ Read More ]  I always know I’m depressed if I wake up and suddenly hear an avalanche of negative thoughts. Sometimes I wake up and think- hmm,what fun things do I have to do today? Those are miracle days where I just get out of bed and look forward to the hours ahead. I had extreme trouble sleeping last night. True insomnia- it’s so different from mania sleep issues. I had to take two ativan (A benzodiazepine/anti anxiety med) – two ativan means I will get really tired this afternoon. I usually stick to one. But at least I finally got to sleep around 2:30 AM. This means I lost the hours of work I was going to do this morning. What can I do but just get on with it! I’m lucky I didn’t have a deadline this morning. I’d rather be tired than depressed. I made a list of my plans for the day. I [ Read More ] It’s a great night when I can get to sleep without sleep meds. I go through long periods when I’m fine and then I have nights where I simply won’t sleep unless I take my Ativan. It’s not that I don’t want to sleep- and it’s not that I’m manic. I just won’t sleep. I just lie there. Then I start the brain tug of war: Brain #1 Julie,you really should be able to just go to sleep on your own. Other people don’t need meds to sleep. You will be too tired in the morning if you take the Ativan. Just keep trying to get to sleep on your own! Just put on some calm music. Smell some lavender! Brain #2 Julie,this is not a joke. You have bipolar disorder and that means you have sleep problems. TAKE YOUR MEDS! It’s not like you’re drinking wine or smoking pot to sleep. These [ Read More ] Sorry guys,I am going to be a broken record for a few days about my travels and how they affect bipolar disorder. I’m on the East Coast and wow,I have had sleep problems. Last night I stayed up late (midnight) to watch the football playoffs and when I finally got to bed I had visions of Payton Manning (quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts) throwing the ball all night. Then I heard words from the game and words from the conversations with my friends. I really love being with people,but I easily get overstimulated. It’s not good for me. This brain chatter is like having a train go through my head. It just won’t turn off. I have a section in my book Get it Done When You’re Depressed called Expect Brain Chatter. I just read that strategy again. It’s true- the running commentary in your head that keeps going even when you’re [ Read More ]  Well,nine hours of sleep is so amazing for me I actually woke up and wanted to do a little jig. I’m what I call an undersleeper. I was actually talking with my friend Kristin yesterday- she’s the author of Bipolar and Pregnant,and we spent a long time talking about bipolar disorder and sleep. Here are all the ways it affected our sleep: #1. Issues due to meds. Kristin talked about Topamax. She has no idea if it affects sleep- but she’s pretty sure it affects memory. Kristin uses Lunesta to sleep. #2. When I’m depressed,I have agitated sleep which means my brain doesn’t shut down at night. Bother! I use Ativan to sleep when it gets bad. #3. Of course,mania is the biggest problem. I rapid cycle almost daily,so on the nights I can actually fall asleep normally and get 7-8 hours of rest is pretty great! #4 . Excessive [ Read More ] | |
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