Bipolar Disorder and Sleep: What is a Normal Sleep Pattern?

For as long as I remember, I have had periods of insomnia, sometimes lasting for extended periods of time. Sometimes it would last for only a few days or a week.
When I reached puberty at age 11 my sleep pattern, which was already abnormal, went haywire. I often spent nights lying awake in my bed, doing sit ups and other exercises trying to wear myself out, watching television or even talking on the phone to friends. I would stay awake until about 3 or 4am and then get dressed for school and lay down to take a 1 or 2 hour nap. This continued off and on until I began having severe migraines at age 16 and I would sleep for days at the time.
During my first pregnancy, my sleep patterns were relatively normal for a pregnant woman.
After giving birth to my first child, I became depressed and was still suffering from debilitating migraines, so my time sleeping increased dramatically and I would spend most of my time asleep. This continued, but with spurts of insomnia sprinkled in every so often. This continued through my second pregnancy. And up until I was Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

To learn more about my ongoing battle with Bipolar Disorder visit my lens
Two Bears and a Lady, Bipolar Disorder and Me

Sleep is just as important in sustaining life as eating and drinking . Technically we would fall asleep before dying, but over time insomnia can shorten our life by contributing to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, memory loss, and diabetes.
Insomnia can also contribute to poor moods and mood fluctuation in people without Bipolar Disorder, but for those of us with Bipolar Disorder or other mood disorders, it can send us over the edge.

To learn more about the importance of sleep and the effects of sleep deprivation visit The Franklin Institute Resources for Science Learning.

I feel regulating sleep patterns is the single most challenging aspect of Managing Bipolar Disorder. If I am manic, it is hard to sleep. If I am depressed, it is hard to get out of bed and stay out of bed.

when I am hypomanic, I am most normal. If I get 7 hours of sleep during this time, I can sustain a level mood and normal sleep pattern easier and for longer than any other time and in turn I am more productive and pleasant
The same as mania can cause insomnia and depression can cause a person to sleep many hours, missing sleep can send a person with Bipolar Disorder into mania or depression.

Taking medication makes it easier to control moods and sleep patterns, but it is still work. It is a lot of work. A person with Bipolar Disorder has to monitor sleep along with other aspects of life so that medication and diet can be altered as needed.

Visit Castle Communications for a free Daily Tracking Form to help keep track of moods, medications and lifestyle including sleep patterns.