About Melissa Chefec

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Entries by Melissa Chefec

34 Little Signs That You’re Probably Being Lied To

By Lauren Schumacker, Feb 25, 2022 We all know lying is something that should generally be avoided. However, telling small white lies every now and again to prevent awkward situations or help someone out can be harmless. That being said, no one wants to be unknowingly lied to and manipulated. “People lie because quite often some version […]

Learn How Your Antidepressants Might Affect Your Birth Control

By Megan Deak, Feb 25, 2022 “There is no direct interaction between oral contraceptives and antidepressants,” said Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double-board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “However, there are certainly brain regions where the two medications may interact, possibly with opposed effects.” Click HERE for the […]

How Mouth Taping Affects Sleep + What To Know Before Getting Started

By Colleen Travers, Feb 25, 2022 Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified doctor in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BRAINFOODmd, warns that in some instances, particularly if you have subpar airflow through your nasal passages, mouth taping may result in worsening your sleep quality, so he often doesn’t recommend it to […]

Risk of Mental Health Disorders Increases After COVID-19

by George Citroner on Feb 18, 2022 “My belief is that inflammation can certainly occur in the body as well as the brain,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and Brainfood MD. He explained that specific forms of mental illness, such as depression, have […]

5 breathing exercises that relax your brain and help you fall asleep in seconds

By Sarah Bull, The Sun, Feb 16, 2022 “Square breathing gives you something physical to focus on, and counting the seconds and synchronizing the breath can have a grounding effect and reduce the wandering of the mind,” psychiatrist and sleep physician Alex Dimitriu, M.D. said. “In square breathing, the prolonged exhalation phase also results in the […]

Multiple sleep problems may boost heart disease risk by more than 140%

By Marilynn Larkin, FEB 15, 2022 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine Sleep in California, commented in an email to Reuters Health, “I believe sleep should be considered a vital sign, along with heart rate, respirations, and blood pressure. I often see sleep as the tip of the iceberg – […]

What’s anxiety jewelry and does it work?

By Vanessa Wolosz Feb 15, 2022 “People are increasingly using widgets, spinners and other items to fiddle with to either improve focus and restlessness in ADHD and possibly also to relieve anxiety and stress,” explains Dr. Dimitriu. “I have seen an increased use of such products in the past several years.” Click HERE for the […]

Segmented Sleep May Boost Productivity, but Is It Healthy?

February 14, 2022 Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: ADHD: All About Power, Paradox, and Yes Pain, Too Can knowledge of how our ancestors slept truly lead us to a life of more natural—and healthy —sleeping patterns? Authors on the Internet have been exploring that possibility, writing a spate of […]

Drug Testing for Weed is a Massive Barrier to Mental-Health Care

By Eddie Kim, Feb 8, 2022 “Marijuana is a particularly touchy subject because unlike alcohol, or even cocaine, it can linger in the body for weeks. My patients are often forthcoming about marijuana use, and I rarely will request drug testing. With a good therapeutic relationship and trust, many people are often willing to reduce […]

Try These 5 Simple Breathing Exercises for Sleep

By Dominique Michelle Astorino, Feb 08, 2022 So, deep breathing can trigger your parasympathetic nervous system and, in turn, help set up a conducive environment for sleep. But that’s not all it can do to help you score some shut-eye. “If your goal is to fall asleep, focusing on the breath is also better than focusing […]

Valerian Root for Anxiety: What Is It? Does It Work?

By Vanessa Caceres, Feb. 4, 2022 Valerian is a plant originally from Asia and Europe, although it’s now also grown in North America. Valerian root has been used throughout time for its calming properties, and has earned the nickname “nature’s Valium,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder […]

Injectables for Schizophrenia Reduce Hospitalizations Better Than Oral Medications, Study Shows

By Ann Pietrangelo, Feb 2, 2022 “This was a great review study, comprised of 137 prior studies,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California, told Healthline. “The results consistently favored the benefit of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in reducing the rate of hospitalization or relapse,” added Dimitriu, who is double board […]

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