Bipolar Sleep the Importance of It~

                                              Good Evening my readers. I apologize for not writing in my blog recently, there were a few things going on that, I had to take some time off of blogging. I ‘am back now in full force. Tonight’s topic is one that many out there face. How does sleep play a important role in the mental health aspect? Lack of sleep can trigger mania in a bipolar patient and too much sleep is a big warning sign that depression is setting in.  

     It’s important to get a good night’s rest for anyone, many benefits from having a normal sleep routine, but those who suffer with bipolar, need to stay on top of their sleep patterns.  Sleep disturbance can trigger the mania and depression. Knowing what to look for when a person is starting to cycle, through a mood change is important for those who have bipolar and those in their life who may care for them, or are close to them in some capacity.

   I dealt with severe bipolar for years. When I did not get a good night’s sleep, it threw my entire routine and mental capacity off kilter. I was more susceptible to stress, physical health issues and unable to deal with daily self care. One of the biggest things that triggers a person with bipolar is stress and lack of sleep can cause stress. Ones thought patterns are not clear; I was more sensitive to everything. I was irritable, and on edge.

There is a connection between our body’s internal clock and physiological responses. Understanding this connection is important part of living daily with Bipolar. My bipolar has been stable for years, but I still need to stay on top of my sleep patterns and I know now how to deal in healthy ways with stress. We need to know our bodies. I deal with chronic pain from a couple different painful diseases, I don’t sleep well because of my pain, with that being said, I know I need to stay on top of my sleep patterns, so I don’t fall back into a depression. Bipolar is not a death sentence, it can be managed and you can  learn to cope. I take only 1 medication for my depression, if I’m not careful with stress I can find myself getting  depressed, I do my best to catch up on my sleep if I have not had a good night sleep night before.

    I challenge you to understand this part of knowing your body and  how you respond to lack of sleep, what to look for.Ways you can do this is journal your sleep patterns, give yourself a routine and do the best to stick to it the same time every night, Be open and honest with your therapist. And most of all give you plenty of TLC tender loving care. Just like all our body needs care, our minds do too, and sleep is the bodies’ way of refueling, recharging. You won’t regret it.