Where your DNA places you among other people, and the studies behind it.
Not tailored to your result, and not medical advice
Protect Your Sleep-Wake Cycle: Circadian rhythm disruption is closely linked to mood episodes in bipolar disorder. Maintaining consistent sleep-wake timing (similar bedtime and wake time daily, including weekends) and minimizing shift work, all-nighters, and jet lag may help. Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), which structures daily routines and stabilizes sleep, has evidence as an adjunctive intervention. Annals of General Psychiatry
Avoid Substance Use: Cannabis, stimulants, and heavy alcohol use are associated with earlier onset, more frequent episodes, and poorer outcomes in bipolar disorder. A meta-analysis found cannabis use linked to an approximately three-fold increased risk of new manic symptoms. Abstinence or harm reduction is a sensible protective strategy. Journal of Affective Disorders
Learn to Recognize Early Warning Signs: Mood episodes often have prodromal signals: decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and increased goal-directed activity can herald mania; persistent low mood, fatigue, and social withdrawal can precede depression. Early recognition allows for preemptive intervention and can prevent full episodes from developing. National Institute of Mental Health
Engage in Regular Moderate Exercise: Regular moderate aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, cycling) is associated with reduced depressive symptoms, better sleep, and improved quality of life in bipolar disorder, though high-quality causal evidence is still limited. Some evidence links very vigorous exercise to mania, so easing back during elevated periods is prudent. Consistency tends to matter more than intensity. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders
Discuss Risk With a Psychiatrist: If you have a family history of bipolar disorder, or have experienced mood instability, impulsive behavior, or extended periods of depression, consider consulting a psychiatrist. Genetic risk alone is not diagnostic, but a clinician can interpret symptoms in context and episodes are more manageable when they are recognized early. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders
How much of this is genetic?
Genetics explains 80% of why people differ in this trait. The rest is environment, daily habits and chance.
Heritability estimate: Smoller & Finn 2003, Am J Med Genet C
Background and further reading
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mood disorder marked by episodes of mania (or hypomania) - periods of abnormally elevated energy, reduced need for sleep, and impulsive behavior - alternating with depressive episodes. Lifetime prevalence is roughly 1% for bipolar I and around 1% for bipolar II, rising to about 2.4% when subthreshold bipolar spectrum presentations are included [4]. It typically emerges in late adolescence or early adulthood. Bipolar I is defined by at least one full manic episode, while bipolar II involves milder hypomanic episodes paired with major depressive episodes [4]. Without treatment, episodes tend to recur and can substantially impair relationships, work, and quality of life.
Genetic Basis: Bipolar disorder is among the most heritable psychiatric conditions. Twin studies estimate heritability in the range of about 60-85%, with one widely cited twin study placing it near 85% [3]. First-degree relatives of affected individuals carry a markedly elevated risk, and the genetic architecture is highly polygenic. The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium's 2021 genome-wide association study of 41,917 cases and 371,549 controls identified 64 associated loci, implicating genes such as CACNA1C (an L-type calcium channel subunit) and ANK3 (which regulates neuronal excitability) [2]. A larger 2025 multi-ancestry study of 158,036 cases and 2.8 million controls expanded this to 298 loci and prioritized 36 credible genes [1]. These studies show substantial genetic overlap with schizophrenia (genetic correlation around 0.7), pointing to shared biology across mood and psychotic disorders [1].
Environmental Triggers: Genetic susceptibility interacts with environment to shape whether and when episodes occur. Stressful life events - both adverse (loss, trauma) and goal-related (achievement, major life changes) - are commonly reported precipitants of mood episodes. Childhood trauma, sleep disruption, and circadian rhythm instability are recurring risk factors, and sleep loss in particular is associated with the onset of manic episodes in susceptible individuals [4]. Cannabis use is associated with earlier age of onset and a higher risk of new manic symptoms, though much of this evidence is observational and causal direction is not fully established [4]. These associations underscore the role of circadian and lifestyle factors as modifiable contributors.
The published research behind your score, and the variants it draws on.
3 published scores from 1 study
The bipolar disorder score combines 3 polygenic scores drawn from 1 published study.
These traits are influenced by some of the same genes and variants as this one
Anxiety: A tendency toward generalized anxiety, chronic worry, and heightened sensitivity to stress.
Content updated August 2026.
ReadYourDNA provides educational interpretation of DNA data you already have. It is not diagnostic, not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to a clinician before acting on any result.
Raw DNA Data Reports for 23andMe & AncestryDNA · About ReadYourDNA · FAQ · Methodology & Science · Pricing · Support and complaints · Legal & Contact · Health Traits · Pharmacogenomics · Carrier Status · Variant Explorer · The Human Karyotype · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Accessibility · Consumer Health Data Privacy · Your Privacy Choices · Editorial Standards · Your Data, Checkable · Sample Report · ReadYourDNA and Promethease compared · What is inside a 23andMe raw data file · What is inside an AncestryDNA raw data file · What a chatbot can and cannot do with your raw DNA file · Where a raw DNA file can still be uploaded in 2026
Written, maintained and operated by Martin Pechhacker, sole proprietor, Vienna, Austria. Trade register GISA 40064420. support@readyourdna.com