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Entries by Melissa Chefec

4 Things to Do First Thing in the Morning to Be Happier All Day, According to Experts

By Adam Meyer, Sep 9, 2026 Take a mindful moment. Board-certified physician and sleep expert Alex Dimitriu, M.D. recommends aiming for 5 to 10 minutes of meditation each morning. “The goal isn’t to empty your mind,” says Dimitriu. “It’s to notice what your mind is already doing before the day starts pulling you in multiple […]

How Accurate Are Home Sleep Tests for Sleep Apnea, Really?

By Jessica Migala, Au 31, 2026 What’s more, home tests generally do not have electroencephalogram (EEG) tracking, which records brain activity via electrodes placed on your scalp, and they don’t measure muscle tone, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo […]

The Best After-Dinner Drink to Help Reduce Anxiety (No, It’s Not Alcohol)

By Lainey Younkin, Aug 29, 2026 Chamomile has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, as well as insomnia, in different groups of people, not just those with anxiety disorder.4 Recent research found that drinking chamomile tea helped postmenopausal women feel less anxious and depressed.5 “It appears to act as a mild sedative that calms the nerves and […]

10 Common Medications That Can Affect Sleep

By Ashley Garling, Pharm.D, Updated Aug 26, 2026 “Anything that alters sleep architecture [normal sleep patterns] can cause muscle-related sleep disruptions, or acting out dreams,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “Common substances include […]

The FDA Approved A New Drug For Narcolepsy. Here’s Why Patients Call It ‘Historic’ Published: Aug 10, 2026, 4:39pm

By Claire Wolters, Aug 10, 2026 Before Orzeyful’s approval, Alex Dimitriu, M.D., psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, says narcolepsy drugs acted as a “patch” rather than a more targeted treatment. “Every prior drug addressed the symptoms with stimulants or sedatives,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “Orzeyful restores the actual signal, […]

Bipolar Disorder and Relationships

By Elizabeth Millard, Aug 6, 2026 Mood episodes are often the clearest source of relationship strain in bipolar disorder. For the person experiencing the symptoms and those close to them, the impact is not always constant. Instead, it tends to intensify during mania, hypomania, or depression, then ease during more stable periods. This episodic pattern can be confusing […]

Sleep vs. Exercise: Which Is More Important for Managing Stress?

By Adam Meyer, Jul 31, 2026 Research shows that chronic lack of sleep is associated with significantly increased mortality and chronic disease risk.3 “Getting less than six to seven hours [of sleep] can significantly increase mortality and disease risk,” says board-certified physician and sleep expert Alex Dimitriu, M.D. Click HERE for the full article.

8 Hacks For Better Summer Sleep

By Wendy Wisner, Jul 29, 2026 Alex Dimitriu, M.D., double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, recommends a simple but effective method for boosting quality sleep. “Start slowing down, stopping work, drinking, and screens using the 3-2-1 method,” he says. Here’s what that means: 3 hours before […]

I fixed my 3 a.m. wake-ups and brain fog by syncing my sleep with the rising and setting of the sun, just like the Amish — doctors explain why this circadian living works

By Nicola Appleton, Jul 29, 2026 “Circadian means ‘around the day,’ and for humans and almost every other living thing on earth, it’s aligned with the sun and controls two of our most fundamental states of being — sleep and wake,” explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a doctor double-board certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. “At the core […]

GLP-1s And Alcohol Addiction: Potential Benefits And What You Need To Know

Bt Jessica Rendall, Jul 28, 2026 Studies linking GLP-1 medication with potential use in addiction likely boils down to the fact that GLP-1s target parts of the brain that “mediate reward and dopamine release,” explains Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep […]

Zepbound For Sleep Apnea: How It Works, FDA Approval And What Patients Should Know

By Jessica Rendall, Jul 24, 2026 “It’s important to realize that sleep apnea is often caused by excess weight, but it can also be caused by nasal congestion, and airway and oral anatomy,” explains Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in sleep medicine and psychiatry. Click HERE for the full article.

Can being a night owl increase the risk of weight gain?

By Jessica Freeborn, Jul 20, 2026 Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, likewise not involved in this study, also noted that it “confirms a lot of what we have been hearing. Indeed, late evening types tend to eat less healthy foods after […]

How Exercise Can Help You Manage Sleep Apnea

By Elizabeth Millard, Medically Reviewed by Dr. Alex Dimitriu, Jul 13, 2026 Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is considered the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment, lifestyle habits can also make a significant difference. A key example is exercise, which can improve sleep apnea severity and support mental and physical health as well.  Click HERE for […]