Entries by Melissa Chefec

The 8 Best Sound Machines for Sleep of 2021

By Abby Stassen Fact checked by Ashley Hall  March 10, 2021 Loud, unexpected, or overly variable sounds can catch our attention, and interfere with sleep. A good sound machine would ideally create a gentle backdrop of very neutral noise—in this case, white noise machines or the sound of a fan, can be helpful. —Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in […]

10 Simple Habits That Can Actually Help You Fall Asleep Faster

March 8, 2021 by Elizabeth Enochs “Bright lights and screens suppress melatonin. They trick your body into thinking it’s daytime still,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told POPSUGAR. “Besides making it harder to fall asleep, bright lights and screens can also […]

Why Am I Waking Up with Headaches? A Sleep Expert Helps Us Save Our Morning

By Lindsay Champion | Mar. 1, 2021 Sleep apnea. This is one of the most common causes of morning headaches. Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, tells us. “This happens because the brain is starved of oxygen during periods of snoring, which leads to headaches.” Sleep apnea can […]

Asked a Sleep Expert How to Sleep 8 Hours in 4 Hours (& If It’s Even Possible)

By Lindsay Champion, Feb. 23, 2021 We hate to break it to you, but you can’t. There is no shortcut for a good night’s sleep, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “The body goes through specific stages of sleep, which we refer […]

Asking Yourself ‘Why Don’t I Have Dreams?’ The Answer Might Surprise You

Jessica Estrada・February 21, 2021 Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, adds dreams are very likely the brain’s way of working through problems, past events, as well as planning for the future. “Dreams allow us to connect loose concepts and ideas, and may also […]

The Essential Role of Sleep in Immunity

February 18, 2021. Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: “The Essential Role of Sleep in Immunity”. Want to ensure your vaccination offers the greatest protection against COVID-19? Sleep—and sleep well—before and after your vaccine appointment, because natural sleep boosts the immune system significantly. Click HERE for the full article.

Is It Better to Sleep Without a Pillow? 2 Sleep Experts Weigh In

By Lindsay Champion Feb. 9, 2021 Pillows make sense if you think about it: “If you look at a person laying down, the shoulders are far wider than the head,” says sleep medicine expert Dr. Alex Dimitriu. “What this implies is that for anyone sleeping on their side, essentially, their shoulder gets in the way, and they need […]

Could Sleep Anxiety Be to Blame for Your Tiredness?

By Dominique Michelle Astorino, February 01, 2021 Insomnia disorder is its own beast, according to Dr, Dimitriu. “Insomnia disorder (or psychophysiological insomnia ) is not a result of depression, anxiety, medical issues, or substances including alcohol, caffeine, or stimulants.” Rather it’s defined as trouble initiating or maintaining sleep or waking too early, three days per week […]

The best sunrise alarm clock in 2021

January 19, 2021 — Dr. Alex Dimitrui, Founder of the Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine clinic, was interviewed by Insider for the article, “The best sunrise alarm clock in 2021.”

How Long Does It Take to Fall Asleep? What’s Normal & What’s Totally Not, According to a Sleep Expert

By Alexia Dellner | Jan. 28, 2021 “Really short times to fall asleep (i.e., less than five minutes) often suggest significant sleepiness or sleep debt from insufficient sleep on prior nights,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD from Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine tells us. Other signs that you’re sleep deprived include fatigue, irritability, mood changes, difficulty focusing, a weakened immune system […]

Is It Just the COVID-19 Blues or Is It Depression?

January 27, 2021. Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: “Is It Just the COVID-19 Blues or Is It Depression?” “Don’t wish it away. Don’t look at it like it’s forever. Between you and me, I could honestly say that things can only get better.” These words from Elton John’s song […]

How a Full Moon May Affect Your Sleep

Written by George Citroner on January 27, 2021 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, said the moon most likely exerts its effect by an increase in evening or nighttime light. This might suppress melatonin (a sleep hormone), which affects the onset and duration of sleep. “According to this study, it does seem that […]

What Is Toxic Positivity, and Why Do Experts Say It’s Harmful?

January 21, 2021 by Jenna Wirth “Toxic positivity is essentially the denial of negative feelings, a forced positive attitude that attempts to negate any negative sentiment,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told POPSUGAR. “It’s telling someone ‘to cheer up’ or that […]

Should you wake a sleepwalker? And other sleepwalking FAQs answered

Amanda Capritto, Jan. 20, 2021 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, says sleepwalking is an example of a “disorder of confusional arousal.” “People do weird things at night when they are half awake and half asleep,” he says. “You are confused, because you are half asleep. I […]

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