My Bedroom Puppet Master
Trapped in a restless body
Quiet, dark room.
Soft, cool pillow rests your head.
Mind, peacefully drifting.
⚡⚡⚡
Then it starts.
The tiny twitch of your big toe.
A creeping, crawling sensation up your leg.
There’s nothing you can do
but stretch.
Ahh, that’s better.
⚡⚡⚡
Your mind, quiet again,
embracing the night…
A pulling feeling at your calf.
It explodes down to your foot,
until you can no longer fight
that irresistible urge
to move your legs.
⚡⚡⚡
The more you think about it,
the worse it gets.
The more exhausted you are,
the worse it gets.
You try to resist it,
but your leg just moves
on its own.
Your mind has stepped
outside your body
and has maniacally taken control.
You’re a puppet on a string.
⚡⚡⚡
You get up and walk around,
only temporary relief
before you lie back down
and start again.
⚡⚡⚡
Maybe a hot shower will help?
Once again,
only a moment of respite.
⚡⚡⚡
All you can do is lie there
and ride it out.
A prisoner in your own body,
until you finally drift into slumber…
Or the next twitch begins.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is something that drives me nuts from time to time, especially at night when I’m really tired. It’s an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, often accompanied by an unsettling creeping or crawling sensation.
It seems to be a mysterious condition. Although it’s believed to be linked to the nervous system, the exact cause is not yet known, and there doesn’t appear to be a treatment or cure.
I had it particularly badly during pregnancy, possibly due to my almost non-existent iron levels, but once again, no one was really sure.
About the Creator
Sandy Gillman
I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.
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Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts3 days ago in Longevity
Comments (19)
I had that a few times after a long run or work out and not enough nutrients. But to have it through out a pregnancy is just cruel. Congratulations on the leaderboard
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Spectacular poem. My legs felt restless just reading
You did a fabulous job of bringing the frustrating feeling of RLS to life with your vivid descriptions. I've never experienced it, but suddenly have so much more sympathy for those that lose restless nights to restless legs. Best of luck cutting those puppet strings!
This is great, Sandy. Made even more so, of course, seeing ⚡⚡⚡, my people. ⚡😉👍 I'm sitting here with my brow furrowed too because this seems *too* relatable. I've always just thought my foot movements are just tied to nervousness. When I'm agitated or upset, my feet twitch. I don't know. I have a 'fractured' brain: epileptic and bipolar, so maybe that manifests this way too? I sure do move my feet a lot! I really enjoyed this poem! Blessings to You and Yours. ⚡💙 Bill⚡
I can feel the tiredness and the restlessness!
The more you went on the more it sounded like RLS, and then you confirmed it. I've had it from time to time a years ago. I used to flex the muscles in my legs as much as possible to get rid of the energy coursing through them. Sometimes it worked enough to go back to sleep. Whatever was causing it went away. Thank God! I really hope it leaves you alone. And I see, Susan gave you a suggestion. I hope it works.
You captured the feeling perfectly with your words. You created a visual that could almost be felt. Excellent work, Sandy!!!
RLS making you it's puppet. I am sorry to hear this, it sounds impossible to deal with. I hate that there is no cure for it. Sending you lots of love and hugs mama! * The beat of this though. The vibe, the story the rhythm. Back to the beat. I could feel and see how relaxation is fleeting the way you did the beat. The repetition of 'the worse it gets' gives that isolated vibe. It's day time where I am but this line turned me off from the light and locked me into your poem. That's a good thing. This, I would say is one of my favourites from you. Amazing work mama! 🤗❤️
This nails the frustration of RLS perfectly! I felt the tension building with every paragraph. Your nervous system playing pranks—move, move, move! Just ride it out until your body chills. 💖
Wow... that sounds terrible!!🥺😢😭
Very true sandy, one of my family member had this condition that too at a extreme stage, it was so terrifying to see the pain she was in at the time. We just pray god save us from any such illness or any illness for that matter @Sandy Gillman
RLS is the absolute worst. I'm so sorry you suffer from this as well. You convey the struggle of it so well.
I genuinely did not know this was a thing. I read about it after reading your poem, it sounds really quite distressing. Wonderful poem by the way x
First I thought you talk about the cramps that come at night, but then I realized it's not that... I get this too sometimes when I overwork myself (I can walk up to 30km a day at work). I always thought it's just my body being stuck in the movement so much it doesn't know how to stop even when I go to sleep. Didn't know it was an existing condition. Taking Magnesium and stretching before going to bed helped me, but it might not be the same thing?
I had that, when I was working at a job that had hard floor standing all day. Wearing stocking or compression socks help . Your poem desribe it to a T
I had that, when I was working at a job that had hard floor standing all day. Wearing stocking or compression socks help . Your poem desribe it to a T
Oh my, I didn't know this was a thing. I can only imagine how frustrating that must feel!
It's the nervous system. Have you tried to take magnesium? It could help. Magnesium is an essential mineral for nerve and muscle function, and a deficiency could contribute to RLS by affecting nerve impulse conduction and muscle contractions. Therefore, if you have RLS, you might consider getting your magnesium levels checked and discussing potential supplementation with a healthcare professional. Here's a research paper just to show that I am not talking nonsense. :D https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079219301868