Frequently Asked Questions
Bipolar 101: Trouble Sleeping
Why do I have trouble sleeping?
Answered by:
Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Interestingly, 85% of patients with unipolar depression report that they suffer from insomnia, even though bipolar patients tend to experience hypersomnia--excessive sleeping--during depressive episodes. This poor-quality sleep can, in turn, lead to fibromyalgia, a painful, nondegenerative muscle disorder. All these patients can benefit from good sleep hygiene: a disciplined regularizing of sleep/wake hours, sometimes using hypnotic medications.
Patients suffering from insomnia and hypersomnia need to sleep and wake at the same time everyday. Naps are forbidden. Hypersomniacs are advised to gradually reduce the amount of time spent sleeping to a normal amount by using an alarm clock.
If you or a loved one suffers from any type of mood disorder, pay attention to the sleep/wake patterns of the person involved. If you identify insomnia, hypersomnia, poor-quality sleep and/or reduced need for sleep, this should be brought to your loved one's doctor's attention right away. Treating the sleep disorder is very likely to improve the mood disorder, too.Dr. Padder is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is currently medical director of two mental health clinics in Columbia, Maryland, and a consulting psychiatrist at Howard County General Hopsital, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Write to Dr. Padder at tanveerpadder@gmail.com.
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Are You Depressed?
1. Have you been feeling blue, or "down in the dumps"?
