How can I manage the highs and lows of Bipolar Type 1?

Our last blog post defined Bipolar Type 1 and gave resources to help support those with Bipolar symptoms. This week, we will look at simple lifestyle changes you can make that can help you bring stability to the highs and lows that come with Bipolar Type 1.

These things are not cure-alls and combining more than just a few can greatly add to the treatment of Bipolar Type 1. All of us have different bodies and different brains. The most important thing here is to find what works for you, and do that!

11 Lifestyle changes to help manage Bipolar Type 1:

Exercise. Exercise creates stability and decreases the anxiety that can come from depression or mania. Cardio can increase focus and attention and stabilize mood. Weight-lifting can release stored emotions, and even stretching can promote focus and increase blood flow.
Journaling. This can bring out stored emotions and allow them to properly integrate. You can do journal activities like writing questions to yourself and then “answering” them yourself, almost like becoming your own therapist. If one is religious, writing to your Higher Power can bring about significant healing as well.
Mental Health Counseling. Therapy can help lessen shame, decrease anxiety, help foster a strong and trusting relationship with someone who is dedicated to you, and help with processing trauma that may have exacerbated symptoms of Bipolar I.
LENS Neurofeedback. This is a brain-based form of biofeedback that helps the brain process and use information more effectively and efficiently. In treating Biplor I, neurofeedback can help minimize anxiety, increase focus, increase mind-body connection, turn attention from loud inward happenings to outward happenings, and help you process emotions.
Prayer. If you are religious or spiritual, prayer can help retrain the mind to focus on thoughts that produce stability as opposed to thoughts of depressing lows or manic highs. It can help you trust that someone Greater is listening to you and wants the best for you.
Diet. A high-protein diet can help with mood stability as opposed to carbs and sugars. Allergies can cause depression, anxiety, brain fog, and chronic inflammation so getting a blood test for a wide variety of foods can help increase mood stability.
Supplements. Supplements should be screened by your primary care physician or naturopath to ensure other medications do not interact with them. Once a supplement is given the green light, these are some that can be helpful for Bipolar I: Choline, 5-HTP, Omega-III’s, Magnesium, Vitamin C, and B-Vitamins.
Medication. There are numerous drugs prescribed for Bipolar Disorder. Talk to a doctor or psychiatrist to help prescribe the right drugs for you. Different medications can be prescribed to treat mania and depression and to stabilize episodes of the two.
Sleep. This is one of the most important interventions! This is hard especially during a manic state, but when possible, getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night can help promote a stable mood throughout the day. Minimize blue light exposure before bed, take supplements like melatonin, and only use your bed for sleeping to create a good sleep routine.
Support system. Finding people you can trust is crucial in finding emotional support. These relationships can help you cope with feelings of loneliness and disconnection. It is important to find people who can love you and will not judge you or make you feel ashamed. Support groups are great places to relate to others too.
Minimizing alcohol, caffeine, and other psychoactive drugs. Psychoactive substances can affect one’s mood and exacerbate Bipolar symptoms. Alcohol may worsen depressive episodes while caffeine can lead to mania.