About Melissa Chefec

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Entries by Melissa Chefec

What Are ‘Bipolar Eyes’?

By Elizabeth Millard, Sep 5, 2025 This effect, known colloquially as “bipolar eyes,” doesn’t happen to everyone and isn’t considered a hallmark symptom of the condition. However, it may be noticeable during a manic episode for some, says the psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in California, and a medical reviewer at […]

The Egyptian Sleep Method Is Going Viral — But Does It Work?

By Kendra Cherry, Sep 3, 2025 “The Egyptian sleep method involves sleeping under a damp sheet, which cools off from evaporation,” explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Because water absorbs heat as it evaporates, your body temperature drops as the water gradually evaporates. Some variations of this method suggest […]

Why You Still Have Stress Dreams About School

By Chantelle Lee, Aug 29, 2025 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor in Menlo Park, Calif., says that dreams of feeling unprepared can stem from stress in your day-to-day life. But dreaming specifically about feeling unprepared at school, he says, could be because those are such formative years in people’s lives. “For […]

Sleep Like Your Life Depends on It—Because It Might

By John Loeppky, Aug 26, 2025 According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, that sleep deprivation has been directly linked to severe concerns including increased rates of depression and suicidality.  Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, says that while the effects may not be immediately […]

Why You’re Waking Up Tired – Even After 8 Hours of Sleep

By Claire Wolters, Aug 25, 2025 Doctors and researchers generally recommend that adults sleep seven to eight hours at night. Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, says that younger adults may need more sleep than older adults, but not […]

Hidden sleep danger could increase risk of 172 diseases, major study reveals

By Melissa Rudy, Jul 30, 2025 Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor who is founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, was not involved in the research but commented on the findings. “The more general message here is that there is a benefit to measuring sleep objectively, and looking at more […]

Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Methylphenidate?

By Macy Alcido, Jul 29, 2025 While taking any medication, it’s important to use caution when drinking alcohol, says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified specialist in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Dr. Dimitriu specifically recommends limiting alcohol intake when taking methylphenidate. “Alcohol is a sedative, while Ritalin is […]

Can Supplements Help With Depression?

By Erica Sweeney, Jul 28, 2025 “This research is very relevant, as so many people will try supplements before they ever even seek professional help,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California.  Click HERE for the full article.

This Silly Hack Can Actually Really Help With Anxiety

By Caroline Bologna, Jul 25, 2025 “Words are powerful. I always tell my patients to be careful with the ‘mantras’ you say to yourself each day,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California. “My concern is that when you say […]

ADHD in Women: Why It’s Hard to Detect—and What to Do if You Think You Have It

By Stephanie Booth, Jul 24, 2025 For starters, “women are more likely to have the inattentive version of ADHD, which can sometimes be confused with anxiety, forgetfulness, and disorganization,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified psychiatrist in Menlo Park, CA. Even the hyperactive type of ADHD may manifest differently in girls than boys. Instead of physical […]

4 Ways Therapists Say People With Anxiety Get Stuck — And How To Get Unstuck

By Alexandra Frost, Jul 22, 2025 “A vast number of patients in my practice have benefited from work we have done to catch ‘the stories’ that we tell ourselves, and realize what is real, and what is made up,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park […]

Why You Suddenly Start Seeing the Same Thing Everywhere, According to Psychologists

By Kendra Cherry, Jul 18, 2025 “Selective attention is the ability to notice some things and not others,” explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. We are surrounded by so much information that it’s just not possible for the brain to process, sort, and […]

Mediterranean and 3 other diet types may lower dementia risk, especially in women

By Jessica Freeborn, Jul 16, 2025 This study highlights the diet’s important role in possibly protecting against dementia. Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, who was also not involved in the study, noted the following clinical implications of the research: “This study […]

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