Entries by Melissa Chefec

The 5-Step Bedtime Routine of People Who Never Gain Weight

By BethAnn Mayer, Mar 2, 2024 What you eat for dinner is important, but so is when you eat it. “Food timing is essential,” explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “The narrower the window of eating during the day, the better. It’s […]

4 Benefits of 4-7-8 Breathing, According to Doctors

By Erica Sweeney, Feb 29, 2024 The breathing exercise is based on a yoga principle called pranayama breathing, or slow exhale, explains Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in sleep medicine and psychiatry and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. It’s become more popular recently, but integrative medicine expert Andrew Weil, M.D. has been teaching […]

Daymares – How to Stop Negative Thoughts (and what to do if you can’t)

By Dr. Alex Dimitriu You get an email from your boss asking you to meet later that day, and you immediately think you’ve done something wrong, and might get fired, then lose your home, then your marriage. A lab result comes back slightly off, and you immediately think you might have some serious life-threatening malady, “what […]

Is Online Therapy Effective? 5 Pros and 5 Cons

By Breanna Mona, Jan 30, 2024 The more important a conversation is, the more dimensions of communication (body language, etc.) may be required to make it effective, says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a consultation psychiatrist at Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. Click HERE for the full article.

Eating more kiwi fruit could boost your mental health in just a few days

By Jessica Freeborn, Jan 30, 2024 Overall, the results still point to the benefits of kiwi and vitamin C for mental health. “The strength of the findings for people with low vitamin C levels is impressive, and it was impressive to see kiwi separate from vitamin C tablets, which also demonstrates a non-response to placebo vitamin […]

This 30-Second Habit Could Be a Gamechanger for Your Energy Levels

By BethAnn Mayer, Jan 18, 2024 “We all forget to breathe as we get busy,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Spending even 30 seconds doing some deep breathing and even mindful clearing of the mind can help.” Click […]

Sleep Problems in Your 30s and 40s Could Be a Major Predictor for Cognitive Decline

By Alexandra Frost, Jan 12, 2024 Experts say adults over 18 should sleep anywhere from seven to nine hours a night‌. While you sleep, your body is fixing you up for the next day. “Sleep helps mood, anxiety, cognition, and a myriad of other health issues,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician, and founder of […]

Exercise combined with mindfulness best for mental health, researchers say

By Jessica Freeborn, Jan 9, 2024 Non-study author Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, noted to MNT: “Both exercise and mindfulness separately have been shown to improve mental well-being, so it is no surprise that the combination of the two is effective. I often tell […]

5 Essential Steps Towards Joy in the New Year

By Dr. Alex Dimitriu The power of positivity is a skill to be developed. Certain simple behaviors and mindsets have the power to improve your mood almost immediately. I know change takes time, and no one expects you to change completely overnight. However, as I tell my patients, it’s good to have some direction and […]

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