both terms relate to abnormally elevated mood or irritability

Both the same, hypomania is the less severe form: not severe enough to cause marked functional impairment, hospitalisation; no psychotic features and change is unequivocally uncharacteristic

Mania symptoms: DIGFAST

• distractibility
• impulsivity
• grandiosity
• flight of ideas
• activity increase
• sleep deficit
• talkativeness

Therefore, the length of symptoms, severity and presence of psychotic symptoms (e.g. delusions of grandeur, auditory hallucinations) helps differentiates mania from hypomania.

The following symptoms are common to both hypomania and mania

Mood

• predominately elevated
• irritable

Speech and thought