EP 63: Small Steps, Big Impact: Building Sustainable Recovery Habits with Dr. Sheri Johnson

The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to Wellness

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Dr. Sheri Johnson shares groundbreaking research on how circadian rhythms and reward sensitivity affect bipolar symptoms, offering practical approaches to wellness through lifestyle interventions. Her work at UC Berkeley's CALM program explores how time-restricted eating and Mediterranean diet patterns can strengthen body rhythms and improve mood stability.
• Bipolar symptoms affect circadian rhythms, with genetic factors influencing clock genes throughout the body
• Time-restricted eating (consuming food within a consistent 10-hour window) helps reset disrupted body clocks
• The Mediterranean diet provides essential nutrients for brain health without rigid restrictions
• Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production, making sleep difficulties worse
• Small, incremental habit changes are more sustainable than overwhelming lifestyle overhauls
• People with bipolar symptoms often have heightened reward sensitivity that can be both a gift (creativity, drive) and challenge
• Including people with lived experience in research design improves treatment approaches
• Mindfulness, journaling, and relaxation techniques can help manage nighttime awakening
Visit calm.Berkeley.edu/participate to learn about participating in current studies on time-restricted eating, Mediterranean diet, or the upcoming study on reward sensitivity and circadian rhythms.
Instagram: @ucbcalmprogram

Facebook: The CALM Program at UC Berkeley

X: @calmprogram

Bluesky: @ucbcalmprogram

Tiktok: @ucbcalmprogram

Bio:

Dr. Johnson is the Director of the Cal Mania (CALM) Program at the University of California Berkeley. She has received funding from NARSAD, NIMH, NSF, and NCI. She has published six books and over 300 manuscripts. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association for Behavioral Medicine Research, and the Association for Psychological Science, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (2013-2014).

Her work focuses on circadian rhythms, impulsivity and reward sensitivity in bipolar disorder. She has used a broad range of techniques, from neuroimaging to cognitive and behavioral testing and personality tests, to understand these mechanisms. Drawing on basic science, she has conducted treatment development research to target these dimensions.

FREE Mood Cycle Survival Guide: https://theupsideofbipolar.com/free/
FREE Facebook Group for Moms with Bipolar: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bipolarmomslivingwell
website: https://theupsideofbipolar.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theupsideofbipolar/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theupsideofbipolar/

Chapters

1. EP 63: Small Steps, Big Impact: Building Sustainable Recovery Habits with Dr. Sheri Johnson (00:00:00)

2. Bipolar's Gift and Curse (00:00:22)

3. Dr. Johnson's Journey to Bipolar Research (00:02:25)

4. Listening to Lived Experience (00:06:59)

5. Circadian Rhythms and Bipolar Disorder (00:14:20)

6. Time-Restricted Eating and Mediterranean Diet (00:23:08)

7. Building Sustainable Habits Through Small Steps (00:33:08)

8. Reward Sensitivity and Mania Connection (00:40:20)

9. Closing and Resources (00:52:43)

65 episodes

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