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A bipolar diagnosis is a major life change, and as we learn more and more about the bipolar spectrum, we know bipolar II, and other less impactful versions than bipolar I, are more common than we think. And often, easier to control.
Although medication management is the hallmark of living well with bipolar, lifestyle hacks (like social rhythm therapy, or SRT) can be effective in helping forestall episodes or decreasing their intensity once they begin. Medications and therapy work best together—better than either alone—and SRT is a therapy that’s in your hands.
A simple lifestyle tool that can make a big difference, SRT is easy and just what it sounds like: paying attention to “social” rhythms and managing lifestyle triggers. Here’s how it works:
1. Sleep
You’ve probably heard this, but lack of sleep for even a day or two (or oversleeping on the other end) may tip you into hypomania, mania, or depression. Healthy sleep is essential to bipolar health, yet often complicated by the fact that bipolar people often have trouble sleeping to begin with. Pay attention to these tips:
- Sleep rhythms are crucial to recovery. This doesn’t mean you have to go to bed and wake up at exactly the same time every day. But within an hour or so on each end is ideal. It’s nearly impossible to optimize daily moods in the short or long term if your brain can’t rely on regular sleep—and right amounts of it.
- If you sense you’re revving up into hypomania or mania and can’t sleep, talk to your provider about a safe sleep aid to use rarely, just in case. Regular sleep, and sleep aids in times of disrupted sleep, can prevent many a full-blown manic or depressive episode from ever beginning.
Light
We know light exposure is critical to healthy humans in general, and people with bipolar disorder tend to be more sensitive to light cues. This means maximizing getting out into natural light, even for a few minutes walking from your car into work each morning. And in the evenings, keeping artificial lights low after sunset. Having morning light exposure helps your bipolar brain maintain stability and circadian rhythm. If you can’t get natural light, light therapy has been shown to be helpful in bipolar management, and often worth the small investment in a light box.
Exercise
When you’re outside for those few minutes soaking up natural light in the morning, bring your dog (or cat or ferret or bearded dragon) and take a walk. Use the “social” in social rhythm, and meet someone at the gym, keeping each other accountable. Maintaining a regular exercise rhythm (again, not exact, but simply regular), helps keep your brain and body stable, and increases the likelihood of healthy slumber after that workout.
Eating
Running on fumes and fried chicken, french fries, and funnel cake? Just like everything else, there’s time for that. But not each day. Your body needs healthy food, and regular intake. Skipping meals, then ravenously binging; eating late at night without time to digest; or relying on alcohol or other substances to sleep (or wake), messes up your mood stability. Keep trail mix or healthy snacks in your car, at work, and in your bag or purse. That way, when you realize you skipped a meal or won’t have dinner until late, you can eat healthy nutrients and improve your mood too.
Travel
Think about it. Humans have not had cars, trains, or planes for more than a second in evolutionary time. Moving from one time zone to another (let alone several) is not something our bodies were made for. It’s amazing we adjust as quickly as we do. And in bipolar disorder, traveling can be a major trigger. It’s not just time zone changes, but also disrupted sleep, routines, and schedules that accompany travel and mess with a steady mood. Prep your brain before and during travel. Focus on maintaining sleep, exercise, and light exposure as much as you can. Take an extra day if needed, to acclimate. Then, enjoy your trip.
Taking meds on time and on schedule, as well as knowing your unique triggers (and how to manage them) can be life-changing for those with bipolar disorder. You can find a simple bipolar mood chart online, and record these factors to get a sense of the best “social rhythm” for you. If you record even a week or two (OK, a month or more is better, but not required), you’ll likely look back at the chart and notice things you never knew about yourself. Making these connections between mood and daily rhythms is powerful and effective. And all in your hands.
