If you have bipolar I, you likely know how exhausting its highs and lows can be. In a depressive period, you might feel so down that you don’t want to do things you normally enjoy, or even leave your bed. The most basic, everyday tasks—like eating, bathing, and brushing your teeth—can feel like herculean efforts.
If you’re struggling to function, reach out to your therapist ASAP to let them know what’s up. And if you’re on medication, please don’t let your regimen slide. Even when keeping your routine up feels next to impossible, individualized mental health care (including through meds prescribed by a doctor) is the best way to treat bipolar I, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
From there, you can prioritize little but impactful ways to care for your mind and body when you’re not feeling your best. When it’s possible, it helps to start thinking about them when you’re at a “baseline” state of mind (a.k.a. in neither a depressive or manic episode), Avigail Lev, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in bipolar disorder, tells SELF. It’s a lot easier to plan for intense lows when your head is clearer and you feel more energized.
Whether you’re feeling good right now and thinking ahead or actively feeling depressed, here are three low-effort ways to take care of yourself, according to therapists who treat bipolar disorder.
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Make a schedule for tiny versions of your regular tasks.
No matter what’s going on with your bipolar I, making your days predictable, with regular sleep, wake, meal, and exercise times, can be one of the best ways to prevent manic or depressive episodes from happening or becoming more severe.1 Making a basic schedule “provides guideposts in your day, like anchors you can hold on to,” Colleen King, LMFT, a psychotherapist who treats clients with bipolar disorder, tells SELF.
It’s absolutely true (and understandable) that sticking to a routine can feel challenging when you’re depressed. The key, King says, is to make tasks feel lo-fi and small—that way, you’ll actually do them, rather than beating yourself up if you don’t accomplish the bigger stuff you might have planned for.
A few examples King shares: Instead of telling yourself you have to hit the gym after work—and then feeling defeated when you stay put, aim to walk up and down your hallway, or lie on the floor and stretch. If you can’t get out of bed at all, wiggle your toes and squeeze your arms with your hands. (Bonus: These are “sensory input” exercises, or mind-body movements that can help you stay grounded and focus on something other than your emotional state.)2
As for eating, King suggests nibbling on something filling and convenient, like a protein bar, rather than trying to force yourself to cook and then forgoing meals instead. (If you do feel up to being in the kitchen, here are some recipes that SELF collected for moments and moods just like these—but truly, as long as you’re eating, don’t sweat it too much.) Take sips of water every hour instead of aiming for a certain number of bottles or ounces throughout the day. In all: Something is better than nothing.
