The Telltale Signs of Restless Head Syndrome

Wow, what time is it? Are you still up? I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t look so good.

Oh, I see. You’re working on something, a big problem you have to solve. Guess that explains why you’re up so late and pacing the floor.

But seriously, have you looked in the mirror? When’s the last time you got some sleep?

And I hate to point this out, but you don’t seem to be much further along then you were an hour ago.

The Diagnosis

I think I know what’s wrong. You may have Restless Head Syndrome.

Don’t panic. It’s really pretty common, and, in most cases, it tends to come and go.

It usually strikes when you’re in the midst of some creative pursuit or when you’re facing a challenge. It plays tricks on your mind, convincing you that you’ll find your answers by trading in sleep.

The Symptoms

Well, you may not want to hear this right now, what with everything you’ve got going on in your life, but you need your sleep. Your body needs it, your brain needs it, and whatever triggered your particular case of Restless Head Syndrome could probably use some of it too.

Here are just a few of the things you can expect to experience if you continue to pry your lids open:

Rigid Thought Patterns:
Are you walking in circles? With no sleep, you’re probably thinking in circles too. It’s hard to generate new ideas and solutions when your brain’s shutting down on you.

Lack of Concentration:
As the clock ticks, your thoughts grow thick and things begin to blur.

Impaired Memory:
What was it you were supposed to be working on again?

Mood Swings:
Emotions are good things for a creative person to have; they’re often the seeds of greater things, but let them take control and they’ll abuse their power. When you’re exhausted, your emotions can overwhelm you and run roughshod over your ability to think rationally.

Weight Gain:
If the others didn’t scare you, maybe this one will. Getting fewer Z’s tends to lead to higher calorie intake, slower metabolism, and diminished satisfaction with the things you gobble down.

The Cure

Get some sleep and things will be a whole lot easier to handle when you wake up. That’s the fascinating thing about Restless Head Syndrome. Its cure is the very thing it leads you to believe you should be sacrificing.

But deprive yourself of that need and things will only get tougher as the hours creep on.

Not quite the results you were hoping for, huh? Go to bed. You’re tired.

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