Healthy lifestyle

Euthymia (see post by the same name) is reached through stability. It is thus important to have a regular routine. The main categories for this are sleep, leisure activities, exercise,  healthy eating, and hygiene and cleanliness.

Sleep

Sleep and bipolar disorder have a symbiotic relationship. Getting enough sleep and going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps to prevent relapses. That includes weekends and holidays (yes I know! I'm bad at this too!) Staying up all night (due to partying etc) is particularly inadvisable, as it takes a week to recover from a sleepless night.

Getting to sleep isn't always simple, as insomnia is common in people with bipolar disorder. It is important to speak to your doctor should this occur, as a lack of sleep can lead to mania, and inversely sleeping little (but, importantly, still being full of energy) is a symptom of mania. 

Leisure activities

It is important to have leisure activities, and to do things with your day (particularly if you don't work), as the less you do, the less you'll want to do. Taking time for yourself and doing something that you enjoy is an important part of self-care, and can be combined with getting out and seeing people, which can help combat loneliness, which people with bipolar often struggle with.

People with bipolar are often creative, whether this be musical or artistic, and this creativity can manifest in all phases of the illness- take Tchaikovsky for example, one can clearly hear the difference in his music between his depressed phases and his manic periods. Try finding an activity that helps you express this creativity, whether that be by joining a choir, taking up knitting, or painting Warhammer figurines.

Try to avoid watching too much TV/ being on screens too much, as while they provide a temporary distraction, they can be isolating, and staying in all day and watching Netflix may feed your depression. On the other hand, watching something low-key such as a romcom is a good idea when manic, as it is calming. Avoid films with subtitles as when manic it is difficult to concentrate enough in order to read.

Exercise

We all know that exercising is important in order to be healthy, and yet many of us don't do enough. You should aim for three to five 30 minute sessions per week, however it's important to remember that it's not all or nothing. It's near impossible to start exercising, however, if you're in a depressed phase, so the thing to do is to start while you're stable, as exercise releases endorphins that make it as effective as antidepressants in lifting mood. This can be dangerous however in a manic phase, as your mood is already too 'up', so exercise should be avoided when manic, no matter how much energy you have.

Healthy eating

Eating a balanced diet not only helps to keep our body healthy, but our brain too. It's ok to have treats, but 80% of your diet should be healthy, which means low in fat, sugar, and salt, and high in vitamins and minerals. It is also important to eat the right quantity of food. If you want to reduce your portions try drinking a large glass of water before eating (we sometimes mistake thirst for hunger) and eating more slowly- it takes ten minutes to start feeling full.

You should also be drinking 1.5 litres of water per day. Our bodies are 65% water and dehydration can make us feel irritable, sad, and lead to concentration and memory problems.

Hygiene and cleanliness

It feels damn near impossible to shower sometimes when depressed, but maintaining basic bodily hygiene is important. This doesn't have to mean showering every day (depending on your body odor and personal preference) but turning up to work smelling none too fresh can lead to problems. If you're staying at home in your pyjamas then this obviously isn't as important, but showering and brushing your teeth can sometimes help you feel a bit more human again.

I don't believe the expression 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness', but I do believe that our environment has an impact on our mental health and vice versa. I'm not in a position to lecture anyone about this, as I'm far from tidy myself, but I know that I do personally feel better when the sink is empty at the end of the day and I don't have to burrow through the laundry basket in order to find clean clothes.