Vacation from Writer's Block

Your eyes strain at the computer screen, hoping that an idea might just pop out. Instead the cursor just blinks at you, and your mind remains drawing blanks. To be honest you feel like curling up on the couch and sleeping, but your too irritated at yourself to relax. Any minute now an idea just might come and rescue you. <- That right there, or some sort of variation of it, is what having a writer's block is like. Almost anyone who writes has gone through this aggravating feeling. The best cure is probably having some R&R.

Writer's block is extremely irritating; it makes me want to scream and yank my hair out like a mad person. Inevitably it causes stress, and stress leads to sleep deprivation. This all comes around to kick you in the butt, because when you don't get enough sleep your brain doesn't function at top speed, and your creativity is housed in the brain. Think of it like quicksand. First you get writer's block then it makes you all stressed out so you can't get out of it. Now that I think about it, a disease would be a better metaphor, but I could sit here all day thinking of nasty metaphors for writer's block.
What this all does to your health, mentally and physically. It begins with your mental health and works it's way down. You get stressed out and can't stop thinking about it. If you have a bunch of free time it's even worse because that free time is time to think. Like a bird trapped in a building, bashing into a window. You keep hitting the block over and over and over. After a while your head hurts. This constant thinking that leads to dead ends begins encroaching on your health when you are tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. When you are able to get to sleep it's a restless one. Then in the morning you're all grouchy and grumpy. Then when you sit down to write, not only are you tired you're two times grumpier than before! This cycle can continue until you nearly go crazy and give up on writing. Even quitting isn't a sure cure. It'll still bug you from the back of your head.
There have been millions of suggested remedies. My cure is a simple vacation. Not only do you need to mentally relax, but also you need to keep your physical health in mind. During this "vacation" all you do live life and make sure you get a good night sleep and eat healthily. If you have a second hobby take it up (unless it's going to add stress). What you never want to do is have yourself sitting around doing nothing-or in front of a blank screen- and letting it gnaw on you. Don't sit down to write unless you have gotten pass your block. You don't forget about the task at hand, just think about it in the back of your mind. The goal is to not get aggravated, because it accomplishes nothing and even discourages you.
So if you catch yourself feeling sleep deprived or depressed from writer's block I'd give this a try.