Entries by Melissa Chefec

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 […]

New Year can bring better sleep at night if you follow these 9 smart steps

By Melissa Rudy, Jan 1, 2024 A method used by the U.S. military in World War II could help people fall asleep in less than five minutes, some claim. The “military sleep technique” involves relaxing every muscle in the body, starting with the face and working your way down, while taking slow, deep breaths. “Muscle […]

The Young are Not So Restless When It Comes to Sleep

By Carol Ann Rinzler, Dec 30, 2023 Fast forward ten years, and California psychiatrist and sleep medicine expert Alex Dimitriu tells Healthline.com that the stress of career concerns may keep you awake. His prescription? Forget counting sheep and zero in on “exercise, meditation, regular bed and wake times” plus “connecting with friends and family outside of […]

How to manage the side effects of Zoloft in women

By Racheal Ede, Dec 27, 2023 “There are some studies that show antidepressants like sertraline can result in increased bone loss in older women,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “The benefits [of taking Zoloft] should be closely weighed against the risks and discussed with your […]

Finally… A Sleep Apnea Pill

By Alex Dimitriu MD Finding an effective pharmacologic approach to alleviating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could revolutionize treatment of this complex, underdiagnosed, and life-threatening sleep disorder. Results of a study – the MARIPOSA trial — published in the October 2023 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine indicate a combination of two […]

How Multiple Sclerosis Affects Your Sleep

By Elizabeth Millard, Dec 20, 2023 Characterized by difficulty falling asleep or waking up and struggling to get back to sleep, insomnia can, in addition to wrecking the next day, exacerbate some MS symptoms, the National Multiple Sclerosis society reports. What’s the connection between MS and staring at the ceiling at 3:30am? A couple factors, according to Alex […]

Are Your Bipolar I Disorder Meds No Longer Working?

By Elizabeth Millard, Dec 5, 2023 Your Stress Levels Are Soaring. Another possibility for reduced medication effectiveness is that your meds are actually working, but they simply can’t counteract chronic stress, says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in the Bay Area of California. According to research in Current Topics in Behavioral […]

9 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Bipolar I Disorder

By Elizabeth Millard,  Dec 3, 2023 A major aspect of managing bipolar I disorder is having conversations with your health provider about next steps, says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in the Bay Area of California. “The intensity of bipolar can be profound and result in […]

Not Getting Enough Sleep? This Wellness Hack Could Make Up for It

By Danielle Sinay, Nov 14, 2023 “Sleep loves rhythm and regularity, and part of that regularity is having a predictable sequence of events that starts telling the brain to slow down and get ready for bed,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double-board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California. “A […]

Taking the plunge: Immersing in cold water can help your mental state

By Claire Wolters, Nov 10, 2023 Alex Dimitriu, MD, dual board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and Founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, says that some of the benefits of cold plunges could be the body’s demonstration of resilience or grit. “Being able to push through the ‘mental barrier’ and aversion associated with entering a […]

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