Bipolar Math

[Bluetwo]

A Bipolar will be traveling from O'hara Airport Chicago to London Heathrow Airport. Will be in the UK for one week. How can a Bipolar acclimate her circadian rhytms for six hour time zone difference? How should she prepare before leaving home and returning so not to set off a episode?

[Lizz67]

I'm so happy you didn't take my comment as an insult!  I'll check that link out tomorrow.

Very interesting about what to really do to prepare.  I hope it will work out for you.  I've never been abroad (not yet!), so I haven't needed to be concerned, but I am from Chicago, Wherever that fits in (?).

[guggy]

This is very important that you get it right. Sleep deprivation is one major trigger for a manic episode. I would be interested to know what solution you finally choose to follow.

Greets,
Guggy

Bipolar Symptoms

[Bluetwo]

Thanks! My mother thought getting sleeping pills from my doctor would solve the problems during the flight over but that's "artifical sleep"....

I'm going to get a early morning flight so we will arrive in the UK in the evening. Once I'm there I'll go to bed for more sleep. It appears jet lag does not affect my husband  so he can go to the local pub to have a few pints with my cousins.

[Bluetwo]

I hate word problems :)

Especially these:

"A passenger train can travel 325 mi in the same time a freight train takes to travel 200 mi. If the speed of the passenger train is 25 mi/h faster than the speed of the freight train, find the speed of each."

http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/word/travel/Travel_Word_Problems.faq?hide_answers=1&beginning=1395

I went digging around the internet. Check out Google Books.

Here's what to do if your traveling from Chicago to Paris.

"gradually adjust internal time clock to the new place your're going, before your actually leave.  So over the course of the week before you travel to the later time zone, go to bed an hour earlier than usual, then an hour and a half and then two  hours earlier, and so forth.  By the time you arrive, it may be easier to adjust to the hours of the new time zones."

Source: The Bipolar Survivor Guide, page 173

So this is basic math.

I have a six hour time difference from O'Hara to London

Bedtime: 10:00 pm first night, 9:00 pm second night, 8:30 pm third night, 8:00 pm fourth night, 7:30 pm fifth night, 7:00pm sixth night.

[adel_ezz]

don't worry. your body will adapt itself quicker than you think.

based on experience, i follow the rule: "sleep when i am tired" no matter where i am.

Really it all depends on what you will do in London; i.e. whether a business trip or a vacation

[hell1971]

Have done abit of research and the suggestion is that the daily change is minimal ie in 15min increments so if you are able to prepare in advance this is the best way, going to bed 15mins later and waking 15mins earlier and so on until you are near to the time zone as you are correct in saying it can bring on a mood episode, also disruption to a routine can also do this so the more you can adjust prior to travelling the better, best of luck to ever is travelling.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

This sounds like something more serious than a math problem buddy.  Try doing what hell1971 suggested.

[Lizz67]

I know your question is very serious and I'm afraid I can't offer you any info., but I had to say that the first sentence of your question sounded like a joke - as in " A Bipolar and a priest...etc", or "How many Bipolars does it take to change a lightbulb?"

Thanks for making me laugh tonight and best of luck on your trip.  Since you're already researching this (sleep and time zones), you'll probably do well.  Enjoy your travels.

[hell1971]

I read somewhere that you should adjust your sleep each night by an hour or so until you reach near to the new sleep zone that you are entering, this way there is not a major shift in sleep pattern when arriving. So they will need to work out in advance when they will need to start so you get close. ie 6 hour change in time would need to start 6 to 7 days before, longer would be better ie over a fortnight have every two nights adjustment. This is just based on what I have read anyway.