Updated 3 October 2026
At a glance
- American Family Physician lists the early warning signs of a relapse as sleep disturbance, agitation, increased goal orientation, and a disruption in the usual routine.
- Five daily numbers cover those signs: sleep hours, energy, mood, routine items kept, and restlessness, each with a one-line note.
- For immediate distress or thoughts of self-harm, call your local emergency number; in the United States, call or text 988, or call 911 in a life-threatening situation (NIMH).
- Bipolar Journey is a bipolar tracker that keeps daily ratings, flagged hard days, and notes in one dated history, with Insights across weeks.
A hard week rarely begins with a clear signal. It begins with a short night, a full calendar, a faster pace of talking, or a morning that takes longer than usual. Those first changes are small, and they are easy to forget by the time a visit comes around.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or feel unsafe, call your local emergency number (for example, 911) or a crisis line where you live (for example, 988). The National Institute of Mental Health advises: “If you are suicidal or in emotional distress, consider using the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.” (NIMH)
This guide covers a personal warning-signs list, five daily numbers, a start rule for the week, the people to contact at each stage, the urgent-help numbers, a page for a trusted person, and a debrief for the next visit. Each part is written to be filled in on a low-energy day.
Writing down your own bipolar early warning signs before the week begins
American Family Physician names the early warning signs of a relapse as sleep disturbance, agitation, increased goal orientation, and a disruption in the patient's usual routine. The NHS adds that it helps to know what triggers your high and low moods, and gives feeling stressed, not getting enough sleep, and being too busy as examples. Your own list turns those general signs into specific, observable items.
Write the list while you are well, using the last hard week as a source. For each sign, add what it looks like for you and the field where it will show:
| General sign | What it looks like for me | Where it shows in the log |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep disturbance | Awake at 3 a.m. and not tired; or in bed ten hours | Sleep hours and bedtime |
| Agitation | Pacing, tapping, short answers | Restlessness rating |
| Increased goal orientation | Starting three projects in one evening | Journal note |
| Disrupted routine | Skipped breakfast, no set wake time | Routine items kept |
| Stress or overload | Calendar full for five days in a row | Journal note and energy |
Keep the list to five or six rows. A long list is hard to check on a day when concentration is poor, and the first three signs you notice are the ones that matter most (Bipolar Journey (by Health Journey Labs) checklist).
In Bipolar Journey, the Daily check-in holds sleep, mood, and energy ratings, and the Daily Journal holds the free-text signs that no rating captures, such as the three projects. The list then lives with your daily entries instead of in your memory. Insights can show whether the same sign appeared first in earlier hard weeks, which tells you which row to check first each morning.
Five daily numbers to track in a hard week with bipolar disorder
NIMH advises keeping a routine for eating, sleeping, and exercising, and keeping a life chart or mood journal to help recognize mood swings (NIMH). A hard week is a good time to shorten the log rather than lengthen it. Five numbers, each rated in seconds, cover the signs on your list:
Five daily numbers in a hard week
Bipolar Journey keeps a hard week to five numbers a day.
- Sleep hours: the total for last night, and the time you got into bed.
- Energy: 0 (very low) to 3 (very high), at midday.
- Mood: 0 (low) to 3 (high), at the end of the day.
- Routine items kept: count of wake time, meals, and a bedtime that held, out of three.
- Restlessness: 0 (still) to 3 (cannot sit down).
Add one line for what stood out. If you can fill in only one number on a bad day, make it sleep hours, because it is the number that is hardest to rate by mood and easiest to count. From Bipolar Journey, we recommend writing the same five numbers at the same time each day so that weeks compare with each other.
The Daily check-in in Bipolar Journey takes the sleep, mood, and energy ratings in one short pass, and the Daily Journal takes the one-line note. When two or three of your five numbers move in the same direction for several days, Each rating takes seconds, which keeps the habit alive on a bad day. Insights can show whether a run of short nights with rising restlessness matches earlier hard weeks, so it stands out from an ordinary tired stretch.
Marking the day a hard week with bipolar disorder starts, using a rule set in advance
A start rule decides in advance when a day counts as the first day of a hard week, so the decision follows the rule instead of that day's mood. Pick a rule with a clinician or a trusted person if you can, and write it at the top of the log. Examples:
Start rules for a hard week
Bipolar Journey asks you to set the rule in advance.
| Rule type | Example | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep-based | Under 5 hours for two nights in a row | A date you can count from |
| Sign-based | Any two items from my warning-signs list on the same day | A date tied to your own list |
| Routine-based | Two of three routine items missed for two days | A date tied to daily function |
When the rule is met, mark the day, write what you noticed first, and tell the person on your list. The date also lets you measure lead time later: how many days passed between the first small sign and the day the week turned hard. A longer gap gives more room for an early contact, and comparing the gap across weeks shows how much room each week offered.
The Flare Tracker in Bipolar Journey marks a day clearly worse than usual with an onset date and an intensity, which becomes the start date for the week. Insights can separate a one-off bad night from a repeating pattern by comparing flagged days with the sleep and mood entries around them. The earlier weeks then show how many days of warning each flagged day had. Insights can show whether the start rule you chose fits your own history.
Who to ask early in a hard week with bipolar disorder: a clinician visit, a call, or a trusted person
NIMH advises talking with a primary care provider about mental health concerns, who can refer you to a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist (NIMH). The NHS lists extreme mood changes that last a long time or affect everyday life, and treatment that does not seem to be helping, as reasons to see a primary care clinician. Those are reasons to ask, and a log supplies the specifics.
American Family Physician adds that patients with social support in recognizing early warning signs appear to have less risk of recurrence and hospitalization and better functioning, so the second contact on your list is a person.
Who to contact early in a hard week
Bipolar Journey lists a clinician, a call or a trusted person.
| Contact | When to reach out | What to share |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatrist or primary care clinician | When your start rule is met, or the week is not turning | The five numbers for the last 7 days and the date of the first sign |
| Trusted person | On the first day the rule is met | The warning signs you saw and what you would like them to check |
| Pharmacist or clinic nurse line | For a practical question between visits | A specific question and the date it began |
Add phone numbers and office hours to the log so they are in front of you when needed. Ask the clinician's office what they prefer when you call about a hard week: a message, a call, or a short visit.
My Care Team in Bipolar Journey stores clinician names and your notes from visits, so the contact list is in the same place as the log. The Doctor Report exports a one-page summary of the last weeks for a short visit or a call, and Insights can show whether an earlier contact changed how the week went. Insights can show whether weeks with an earlier contact went differently, and the pattern tells you whether the order of your list matches the order of the signs.
When a hard week with bipolar disorder calls for urgent help instead of a log entry
Thoughts of harming yourself or a danger to life come before any tracking. NIMH says that if you or someone you know is in immediate distress or thinking about hurting themselves, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, and in life-threatening situations call 911 (NIMH). The 988 Lifeline states that it is available 24/7/365, and that conversations are free and confidential.
The NHS lists thoughts about harming yourself among the symptoms of a low mood. Write those numbers at the top of the log and on the page you give a trusted person.
The log has a role afterward. Once someone is with you or you are safe, a short entry about what happened and who helped gives your care team an accurate account of the days around it.
The Daily Journal in Bipolar Journey takes a short or voice entry once you are safe, and the Flare Tracker marks the day. Insights can show what the sleep and mood entries looked like in the days before, which is useful material for the care team. The pattern in those days can inform the next version of your warning-signs list.
A one-page bipolar warning-signs note for a trusted person
A trusted person can notice what you cannot on a hard day. Give them a page, written while you are well, with four items:
A one-page note to a trusted person
Bipolar Journey names the three signs they are most likely to see.
- The three warning signs they are most likely to see first.
- The question you want them to ask, in your words, such as "How many hours did you sleep last night?"
- The contact you want them to suggest: your psychiatrist, your primary care clinician, or a lifeline number.
- The plain answer you would like them to accept from you on a hard day, such as "Sleep was short, I am calling the clinic."
Review the page every few months, since signs shift over time. For wording to use with a partner, see how to explain a bipolar hard week to your partner, and for relatives who rarely see the signs, see explaining bipolar to family who cannot see it.
In Bipolar Journey, the Daily Journal can hold the three signs and the agreed question, and the Daily check-in keeps the numbers your person may ask about. Together they give the page a factual base. Insights can show whether the signs your person watches for are the same ones that appeared first in the log, and whether the page needs a new row.
A next-visit debrief after a hard week with bipolar disorder
A short debrief, written within a few days of the week ending, captures what is clear now and fades quickly. Fill in these items in the order they happened:
A debrief after a hard week
Bipolar Journey dates the first small sign and the start rule.
- The date of the first small sign and the date the start rule was met.
- The five numbers for the week, with the highest and lowest day.
- Who you contacted, on which day, and what they suggested.
- What helped, such as an earlier bedtime, a canceled commitment, or a conversation.
- Two questions for the next visit, such as "Should my list change?"
Bring the debrief to the visit as a single page. The lead time between the first sign and the start rule is the most useful number, because it shows how much room an earlier contact would have had. For the days between hard weeks, see what to log between bipolar hard weeks.
The Doctor Report in Bipolar Journey exports a one-page summary of the logged weeks for the visit, and My Care Team keeps the answers you receive. Reading the next hard week against this debrief shows whether the changes agreed at the visit moved the lead time. Insights can show the pattern of first signs across several debriefs, so the visit can focus on the sign that repeats.
How Bipolar Journey can help
A paper notebook can hold the warning-signs list and five numbers if the same page is used each day. An app adds the comparison of hard weeks across months. For a comparison of trackers, see Best Bipolar Apps 2026.
Bipolar Journey is a personal bipolar tracker from Health Journey Labs on the App Store and Google Play. On this angle, it lets you keep a warning-signs list, five daily ratings, flagged hard days, and clinician contacts in one dated timeline. The weekly view of those entries gives you and your clinician a specific account of the first signs and the days that followed. Below is what you can use and how each part helps.
- Daily check-in — A short guided pass across symptoms, mood, nutrition, sleep, exercise, and meds, so insights can show links memory misses.
- Daily Journal — Freer notes, including voice when typing is hard, that give insights context scores cannot carry.
- Flare Tracker — Mark a day clearly worse than usual, so insights can separate a one-off spike from a repeating pattern.
- My Meds — Medicine names and timing, including options you already take as prescribed. Insights can relate timing to sleep hours and next-day mood.
- My Assessments — Structured check-ins that give insights more context about your life.
- Learn — Short education topics on bipolar themes such as sleep, mood, routines, and visit prep.
- AI companions — Clara and specialist companions answer with your logged history in view.
- Weekly Goals — Set one small aim and see whether it held, which shows whether a habit change helped.
- Doctor Report — Export a one-page summary from your logged history when a written summary helps a short visit.
- My Care Team — Add clinicians and visit notes to prepare questions and review answers.
- My Labs — Result dates for ordered tests, weighed against sleep, mood, and function in the same weeks.
- Period Tracker — Start and stop dates, flow, and how heavy bleeding felt, so insights can relate cycle weeks to sleep and mood.
- Food Tracker — Meal or drink lines, so insights can relate food, caffeine, or alcohol to sleep and mood.
- Weight Tracker — Scale notes when weight is part of what you and your clinician are watching, joined to the same sleep and mood history.
Everything you log builds one history, and insights get stronger as it grows. Custom symptoms let you add your own labels.
We make Bipolar Journey at Health Journey Labs. This guide is educational and does not replace medical advice. Diagnosis, medication decisions, and urgent care decisions belong with your treating clinicians.
Sources
- Marzani G, Price Neff A. Bipolar Disorders: Evaluation and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(4):227-239
- NIMH — Bipolar Disorder (publication)
- NHS — Bipolar disorder
- NHS — Where to get urgent help for mental health
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
FAQ
The answers below draw on the sources cited in this guide, and the app they mention is Bipolar Journey (by Health Journey Labs).
What counts as a hard week?
A hard week is a stretch where your own start rule is met and daily life is harder than your usual. The rule is yours, set in advance with a clinician if possible, so the label follows the rule instead of how you feel that day.
The Flare Tracker in Bipolar Journey marks the first day with an intensity, and the Daily check-in ratings around it show how the week unfolded. After a few weeks you can compare the flagged weeks with each other and see which start rule fits you best.
How do I log when I can barely function?
Reduce the log to sleep hours and one mood number. Those two entries take seconds and keep the timeline unbroken. Fill in the other three numbers when you can, and mark the gap days rather than leaving a blank.
The Daily Journal in Bipolar Journey accepts voice when typing is hard, and the short Daily check-in keeps the minimum to a few taps. Gaps are visible in the history, which is useful information for a clinician, and Insights can still use the days you did fill in.
Which warning sign should I watch first?
The one that appeared first in your last two hard weeks. AAFP lists sleep disturbance first among the early signs, and sleep hours are the easiest number to count, so many people start there and add other signs once the habit holds.
With Bipolar Journey, Insights can compare the dates of your flagged days with the sleep and mood entries before them, which shows which sign appeared first in your own weeks and how many days of warning each one gave you.
Should I log triggers as well?
Yes, as a context line. AAFP lists shift work, travel across time zones, and seasonal light changes as triggers for hypomania and mania, and NIMH advises avoiding drugs and alcohol. Write the event, the date, and whether it fell before the first sign.
The Food Tracker in Bipolar Journey holds drink and caffeine lines, and the Daily Journal holds travel or schedule notes. Insights can relate those dates to the weeks that followed, which shows whether a trigger and a hard week repeat together.
What if my job changes my sleep schedule?
Log sleep hours as the total for each 24 hours, with the start time, and add a note for shift days. Compare shift weeks with shift weeks, since a night rotation changes the baseline for sleep.
In Bipolar Journey, the Daily check-in keeps sleep on the same date as mood and energy, so a shift week reads as its own set of entries. Insights compare like with like across the weeks you logged, so a shift rotation reads as its own set of entries.
What if I have nobody to tell?
Start with the clinician's office, and add a lifeline for immediate distress. The 988 Lifeline is a free, confidential line in the United States. A peer group or a long-standing friend can be added to the list later; one person is enough to begin.
The My Care Team feature in Bipolar Journey keeps the clinic's number and your visit notes. Clara, the general chat, already sees your logged history, so a question about wording a message to a friend starts from your own entries.
How often should I contact my clinician about warning signs?
Ask at your next visit what they prefer: a message when the start rule is met, a call after a set number of days, or a short check-in visit. Write the answer at the top of the log.
My Care Team in Bipolar Journey holds that answer with the clinic's details, and the Doctor Report supplies the summary for the call, so the contact stays short and specific.
What is lead time, and why measure it?
Lead time is the number of days between the first small sign and the day the hard week was marked. A longer lead time means more room for an early contact; comparing it across weeks shows how much room each week offered.
The dated entries in Bipolar Journey supply both dates, and Insights can show the same comparison across several weeks without recalculating by hand, and shows whether the gap between first sign and start rule is growing.
Can I set one aim for a hard week?
Pick a single, small aim tied to the list, such as a fixed wake time for seven days. One aim is easier to keep than five and gives you something to report at the visit.
The Weekly Goals feature in Bipolar Journey holds one aim and shows whether it held. The sleep and mood entries for the same days show whether the aim made a difference, and Insights can compare it with weeks that had no aim.
How do I use a ten-minute visit well?
Lead with the first-sign date, the start-rule date, and the two numbers that moved most. Then ask your two questions. A single page lets the clinician read the week in under a minute.
The Doctor Report in Bipolar Journey is a one-page export from the logged history, so the visit begins with dated facts rather than a recollection, and the clinician can read the week with little effort.
How do I log the days after a hard week ends?
Keep the five numbers going for at least a week after the rule stops being met, and write the date the routine items returned. Recovery dates matter because they show how long a week lasts for you.
The Flare Tracker in Bipolar Journey marks the hard days, and the Daily check-in keeps the numbers going afterward, so the whole span appears in one view, with the recovery dates visible with the hard days in the history.
How do I handle the notes I wrote on a hard day?
Read them as data. A hard-day entry records what the day was like, and the pattern across entries is what a clinician uses. Keep the wording factual: hours, ratings, and what happened.
The Daily Journal in Bipolar Journey keeps each note dated with that day's ratings. Insights can show how the notes cluster in the weeks before a flagged day, which turns a hard entry into a data point about timing.
What if I feel unsafe or in crisis?
Contact help first, through 988 or 911 in the United States or your local emergency number elsewhere. Write the entry afterward, once someone is with you or you are safe.
Afterward, the Daily Journal in Bipolar Journey lets you record what happened and who helped, by text or voice. That account gives your care team a clear record of the days around the crisis, with sleep and mood ratings from the same dates.
How can I protect my privacy in what I write about my health?
Mood entries, sleep hours and notes from a hard week can be read out of context by someone who was not there. Keep the log behind a passcode, avoid shared devices, and agree with your clinician or a trusted person on what you share and when.
Entries you add to Bipolar Journey are your own health notes. Check the app's privacy policy for how data is stored and handled. Nothing in this article is medical advice.