The Life Before RLS

When you find yourself diagnosed with what can be a lifelong condition such as restless legs syndrome (RLS), your existence suffers greatly. What you wanted for your lifespan has to change.

The narrative told in your consciousness since you became aware of your own thoughts is no longer your own. Your inner monologue has to deviate from the dreams and desires you had always held to a new, unknown track.

2 people in 1 body

RLS catapults your world from a clearly defined idea, turning you into 2 people: 1 who still has those wants and dreams, and the other who controls your body, your presence.

The first person is still there – as they have always been – but they are taped to a chair in the dark corner of your brain with duct tape over their mouth whilst the other is being an unconvincing imposter, manipulating your body, making it seem like you on the outside. But you know it's not.

RLS turns life upside down

Merging the 2 personalities into 1 sentient being is not easy. RLS is a monster, turning your life literally upside down. You sleep during the day, pacing the house during the night.

You spend the time in between apologising for not being there for "this birthday" or "that function," seeing the doubt on everyone's face when you explain what this "condition" is.

RLS does not define you

In the meantime, you are falling asleep whilst trying to be present for people. Funnily enough, that is preferable to listening to your inner self telling you that "you are wasting your life" because you are unable to complete the tasks you set for yourself at a younger, healthier age.

The fact of the matter is, none of the waffle your self-flagellating inner moron is telling you is actually true. Remember, RLS is PART of you. It's not YOU as a whole.

Life hacks for home, work, and school

If you run a household, the chores that can be done during the night could be down to you. I'm not suggesting Hoovering the house or sanding down the walls. Maybe try making the kids' lunches or putting on dinner in a slow cooker. That way, you can be part of the family without beating yourself up about not physically being there.

If you are training or studying for a career, try looking online to see if a similar course is being run by The Open University or a similar supplier. That way, you can keep your brain in the game, all the while trying to tackle your condition.

Digital connection

If, like me, you miss the personal connection with people, you could become a keyboard bandit. Running your own blog or website may sound lame in this day and age, but the thoughts staying inside can be troublesome. Getting those thoughts outside into the ether can make you make more sense of them – maybe helping someone in the process.

Thankfully, the world is alive 24/7. Time zones make it possible to always speak to someone, especially if you are having a bad day. On Twitter, there is a hashtag (#NEISVoid) run by No End In Sight which links chronically ill people together.¹

When all else fails, Riverdancing around the lounge distracts!