What to expect with hypomania: Symptoms, episodes, & effects

Key Takeaways

Hypomania is considered a milder form of mania, and both are symptoms of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar II often have hypomanic episodes that are shorter and less intense than manic episodes.
During hypomanic episodes, people feel unusually energetic, confident, or irritable, with increased activity levels and a reduced need for sleep.
Hypomania episodes lasts at least four consecutive days.

We’ve all had those sudden bursts of energy or excitement, feeling unstoppable and ready to take on the world. While these highs are part of normal mood swings, hypomania is different. In this mood state, feelings can last for days, disrupting sleep, shifting behavior, and altering judgment.

While boundless energy and creativity can feel incredible, hypomania comes with real challenges. Impulsivity and poor judgment can lead to risky choices, and nights spent tossing and turning in bed can take a toll on your overall health.

With the right combination of talk therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication, you can manage your hypomania and learn how to reduce symptoms, prevent future episodes, and improve your overall quality of life.

What does hypomania feel like?

With hypomania, you might wake up filled with excitement and limitless energy, ready to take on the day. Friends may notice that you’re more spontaneous or social, radiating positivity.

Yet, along with this high energy and euphoria, you might also feel irritable or restless and more prone to making impulsive decisions or engaging in risky behaviors. One study found that people were more likely to spend large amounts of money, use drugs or alcohol in harmful ways, or engage in dangerous driving or risky sexual behavior during hypomanic episodes.

Hypomania often appears in people with bipolar II disorder, in which the mania is milder compared to a manic episode only seen in bipolar I. However, hypomanic symptoms can also arise without a bipolar diagnosis, triggered by factors like stress, sleep deprivation, certain medications, or substance use.

These instances, called hypomanic episodes, don’t follow the same recurring mood-swing pattern seen in bipolar disorder. While the symptoms may resemble hypomania in bipolar II, they tend to be less intense and shorter lasting. They also don’t alternate with depressive episodes, which sets them apart from a typical bipolar pattern.

To be experiencing hypomania, a person needs to have a period of elevated, expansive, or irritable mood that lasts at least four days and is clearly different from their usual mood.

During the period of mood disturbance, three or more of the following symptoms must be present (four if the mood is only irritable) and have affected your mood to a significant degree:

Displaying inflated self-esteem
Having a decreased need for sleep
Being more talkative than usual or feeling pressure to keep talking
Feeling like your thoughts are racing
Becoming easily distracted
Experiencing an increase in goal-directed activity
Being excessively involved in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for unwanted consequences (like buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business decisions)

Hypomania vs. mania

Hypomania and mania share overlapping symptoms but are distinct symptoms that differ in both intensity and duration. Mania symptoms are more intense and last longer than hypomania episodes. In some cases, people with manic episodes can experience hallucinations or delusions and need to be hospitalized, but this isn’t the case with hypomania.

A hypomanic episode lasts at least four days but can continue for several weeks. Manic episodes last a minimum of seven days but can continue for weeks. Individual experiences may vary, and lifestyle factors and treatment can influence the duration and intensity of hypomanic episodes.

What sets off a hypomanic episode?

It’s not always possible to identify a single cause of a hypomanic episode, since they can be triggered by a variety of factors.

These factors include:

Lack of sleep
High levels of stress
Unhealthy substance use
Seasonal changes
Major life transitions (like the death of a loved one, loss of employment, or divorce)

Understanding your triggers can be a powerful step in managing your condition and taking proactive steps to maintain stability.

What causes hypomania?

Hypomania is a symptom of bipolar II disorder. Risk factors for bipolar II disorder include:

Genetics: Having a first-degree relative, like a parent or sibling, with bipolar disorder or another mental health condition can make you more likely to develop hypomania.
Stressful life events: The loss of a loved one, divorce, abuse, or major life changes can trigger the onset of bipolar disorder in people who may already have a family history of hypomania.
Lack of support system: Not having a close support system may increase the risk of relapse with bipolar disorder.
Chemical imbalances: Research indicates that an imbalance of three key brain chemicals — norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine — may contribute to the onset of bipolar disorder.
Related mental health conditions: Many people with hypomania also experience anxiety disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance use disorder, or eating disorders.

Are there known health effects of hypomania?

Hypomania can have both short- and long-term effects on your health, including:

Physical exhaustion
Poor sleep quality
Increased anxiety and stress
Risk of developing full mania or depression
Digestive issues

Taking a proactive approach to managing hypomania can help prevent or ease these health problems.

Guidance for managing hypomania

The most effective treatment for hypomania involves a combination of talk therapy, lifestyle changes, and (in some cases) medication.

The therapies used to treat hypomania and bipolar II disorder include:

Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT): This type of therapy helps people with bipolar disorder develop insight and self-compassion. It’s shown to be effective in treating bipolar disorder and improving symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This form of talk therapy can improve sleep quality and reduce the rate of hypomanic episodes.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This approach is based on CBT principles and can help you learn mindfulness and distress-tolerance skills.

In addition, research has shown that practicing self-care can help stabilize mood swings, reduce stress, and improve your quality of life when combined with therapy. Some strategies to implement include:

Making exercise a priority: Regular exercise can help you relax, manage stress, and lessen the severity of symptoms.
Getting enough sleep: With hypomania, it’s important to keep a consistent sleep schedule and aim for between six and nine hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can worsen symptoms and trigger episodes of hypomania.
Practicing mindfulness: Deep-breathing exercises have been shown to reduce anxiety levels in people with bipolar disorder.

Find care with Rula

If you’re experiencing the symptoms of hypomania, it’s important to know that help is available. With the right support, you can learn to manage your mood swings, easing the intensity and shortening the duration of hypomanic episodes.

With Rula, you can connect with our network of over 10,000 therapists to find a provider with experience treating hypomania. With just a few clicks, you can meet with a therapist via live video as soon as tomorrow.