Tracking and tweaking mood fluctuations

Human beings are animals programmed by nature to react instantly in response to threats and changes in our environment. You flinch when something flies at your head. You blush when you embarrassed. Over the course of any given day, your moods wax and wane. You can feel sad in the morning, elated in the afternoon, and relieved by dinnertime.



Few people make conscious attempts to record their mood fluctuations, but when you have bipolar disorder, tracking your moods can serve some important functions:
· Reveal patterns to your mood fluctuations.
· Uncover hidden causes, such as changes in medication or sleep regulatrity, that may trigger mood episodes.
· Provide early warning signs of impeding mood episodes
· Give you something to do while you listen lecture on how important it is to take your medications.
With a completed chart in hand, you can begin to identify the possible causes of your vacillating moods. Perhaps your depression always follows a period of inactivity. Maybe you become hyper when you miss a meal. By identifying the patterns to your mood swings. You can take action to tweak your moods and add a little stability.

Source: Bipolar Disorder, candida Fink, MD, Joe Kraynak