24 March 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
- Navy button-down – H&M
- Black skirt – Old Navy, remixed
- Red belt – TJMaxx, custom-fit by me with belt hole puncher
- Red wedges – Etienne Aigner, thrifted
- Earrings – gift from T, thanks!
Endnotes:
These awesome red wedges were my thrift find I mentioned while on Spring Break a while ago, and it’s finally warmed up enough that I can wear them. I have been finding a ton of wonderful shoes while thrifting lately, which makes me think that the shoe-thrifting fairies are smiling down on me.
Which is nice, since the sleep fairies and the work fairies have been pretty MIA lately. I think they’re all off partying it up, while I’m struggling for inspiration in my work and losing sleep over it at night. What do you do when you can’t fall asleep? Any suggestions? How do you quiet your mind at the end of the day, when your brain just won’t stop running although your body’s begging for rest? Words of wisdom are welcome! S.
Red wedges, originally uploaded by academichic.
Earrings detail, originally uploaded by academichic.
pretty
Such envy for the red wedges!
You’ll laugh, but I generally plan outfits when I can’t sleep. Roaming through my closet, mentally, quiets my mind. ;)
I haven’t been having much luck with thrifting shoes, but that’s probably good as I have too many!
I actually do a crossword or sudoku puzzle everynight before I go to sleep. It keeps my mind focused on something besides all the stuff I have to do tomorrow, etc, and when I’ve finished, it gives me a sense of completion that makes it easier to go to sleep!
As a fellow grad student prone to insomnia even when not stressed, I have a bit of experience with (though not necessarily solutions for) this problem.
Sometimes I think it helps if the last thing you are working on during the day can be something not connected to your own research, like marking or lecture prep. I’ve found reading a non-academic book right before bed (tricky sometimes as a lit student!) or watching some mindless television show or movie can help switch your brain into a more passive mode. A bath and a glass of wine or cup of peppermint tea are also good.
If nothing works, I just get up and work on something. The frustration of not falling asleep sometimes keeps me awake longer.
Love the blog, by the way!
This is a bit silly, but I decorate my house in my head when I can’t sleep. If that doesn’t work, I count backwards from 1,000.
I don’t have problems with insomnia anymore (fingers crossed) but used to. The thing that helped me the most was to grab a notebook and write down what I was stressing about (a test, a paper, a fight with a friend, etc). Then I would write down as many things that I could do TOMORROW to fix it and stop me from stressing about it. It helped a lot to have a concrete written thing rather than just spinning it over and over in your mind. Hope that helps! Loooove the red shoes!
I’m de-lurking to share my can’t sleep insight since I always had problems sleeping in grad school. I tried reading novels but I would get sucked in and read chapter after chapter and then really wouldn’t go to sleep. Now I read poetry out loud. It sounds crazy but just reading a few poems out loud forces you to slow down and focus on the words and the line breaks. It works really well for me.
Good luck with your sleeping fairy! Love the website–you guys are such a fashion inspiration!
I also create outfits in my head when the thoughts of my dissertation are keeping me from sleeping (and yes, this happens most nights for me). I find it the most difficult when I am struggling and feeling uninspired in my work, and although I know nothing other than prescription drugs that have been helpful, i empathize!
Wow, thanks, everyone! It was great to check our site in between meetings and find so mny of your caring suggestions and great ideas! I really appreciate that you all took the time to comment and to commiserate!!
@Sal and s. : I’m not laughing – I actually spend quite a bit of time planning outfits in my head, but it’s usually while running (it really helps pass the time). I’ve done it in bed, but the problem is that I can too riled up and often jump out of bed and go to my closet to hold things up to eachother. I need something more soothing, clearly I feel too passionatley about color combos!
@Laua – a crossword puzzle sounds like a good idea, and I love the idea of it feeling completed and providing resolution at the end of it.
@C – I agree, some mindless TV or a book-for-fun does help, I should try to set aside a half hour before bedtime for some Netflix or a fun book. I’ve found that to be effective too.
@Goober – hmmm…I wonder if counting will do the trick…? Will try it!
@futurelint – yes! writing things down helps a lot! I should make a point to write a list before bed time and leave the agenda on paper, rather than carrying it into the bedroom with me.
@Katie K – hmmm…I’ve never been much of a poetry person, but I do have some favorite German poems. I should try reciting them at night, I’m sure it would take my focus off other work trying to remember my old undergrad. favorites. Thanks!
Thanks, all, really! I loved reading all your suggestions and will definitely put them to use!
S.
Love the earings, and the navy and black combo. The red really seems to tie the two together.
As for the sleep problem… when I can’t think I think of my 2 dogs. I imagine them snuggling or playing or swimming or something. Always seems to help me STOP thinking about sleeping…
Love the navy & black combo. Also, go you finding shoes worth thrifting. I never have that kind of luck. Good luck sleeping ~ it looks like you have a lot of good suggestions up above.
Love your red shoes!
I’ve had a long struggle with insomnia and what I have learned is to have a bedtime routine. Do the exact same thing every night before bed, whatever that may be. After about a week, your routine will signal to your body and mind that it’s time to sleep.
My mind has a tendency to run off on endless tangents no matter what I ponder on before bed. The one thing that works for me is to take a few slow, deep breaths and focus intently on how dark the inside of my eyelids is. It sounds weird, but if I try to “see” something in the darkness my mind just comes to a halt and I’m always asleep within 5 or 10 minutes.
PS: I’ve been a lurker til now, but I just want you to now that the blog ROCKS! I’m in a new career that forces me to dress much more maturely and more professionally than in the past and this blog helps me formulate outfits that help me still feel young and trendy. Thank you!
Hi Gorgeous! I am so in love with this navy/black/red combination and those wedges are adorable!
As for your sleeping issue… You got some great tips in previous comments! I too suffer from a mental insomnia of sorts – anxiety over whatever you can possibly imagine. I’m a nutrition junkie, though, and have discovered when I’m anxious, I don’t produce enough natural magnesium (one of your natural chemical elements) to help me fall asleep. So now I take approximately 300 mg each night and I can’t even begin to tell you the difference it’s made!
If you want to go that route, I’d recommend choosing a magnesium blend – most straight-up magnesium supplements can’t actually be absorbed by the human body… Instead, opt for Magnesium-Calcium blend or one with glucose.
Good luck! Hope you get some real sleep sometime soon!
xx