Entries by Melissa Chefec

Getting Enough Sleep Can ‘Clean’ Your Brain, Decrease Your Alzheimer’s Risk

By Kaitlin Vogel, Sep 14, 2023 “The glymphatic system—active during the first half of the night, in slow wave sleep—is a major ‘power wash,’ for the brain, clearing it of all the toxins from a day of activity,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep […]

The Best Memory Foam Mattresses for the Most Supportive Night’s Sleep

By Jenn Sinrich, Aug 29, 2023 When choosing any mattress, your weight and preferred sleeping position are essential considerations. “Generally speaking, lighter people will do better with a softer mattress, while heavier people will do better with more firmness,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry […]

Learn the short- and long-term effects of Adderall on the body

By Sarah Bradley, Aug 29, 2023 Adderall is a brand-name drug; its generic is amphetamine-dextroamphetamine. Both are a combination of amphetamine salts: dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, according to Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. It’s FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy, but it’s sometimes prescribed off-label as a weight loss drug. The drug […]

Aromatherapy May Lead to a 226% Boost in Cognition

Aug 22, 2023 Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: Aromatherapy May Lead to a 226% Boost in Cognition You know those small vials of fragrant oils sometimes placed on a hotel pillow to calm a guest and improve sleep? Well, science says they work, even suggesting certain aromas can help […]

The 5 Best L-Theanine Supplements of 2023, According to Experts

By Aaron L. Gravely, MD, July 14, 2023 “L-theanine has been shown to improve sleep quality not by being a sedative, but by reducing anxiety (i.e. by a calming, non-drowsy effect), which in turn promotes better sleep,” explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and the founder of Menlo Park […]

How to Break the Cycle of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination and Get Yourself to Sleep

By Shelby Deering, July 13, 2023 “[With revenge bedtime procrastination] there’s also a sense of spite or resentment against the system that makes a person choose between leisure and sleep,” Dr. Dimitriu adds. He says that often, revenge bedtime procrastinators mindlessly watch T.V. or scroll their smartphones instead of getting to bed on time. “A key aspect […]

Dreams Interpreted: Parkinson’s, Vitamin Deficiency, and Your Overall Health

By Vance Voetberg, June 29 2023 According to the Academy of Sleep and Wellness, 60 to 75 percent of adults experience recurring dreams. Recurring dreams can often be attributed to “the mind working through current stress, processing a past event, or preparing for a future event,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist specializing in sleep health, told […]

Jaden Smith says psychedelics made him more empathetic. Here’s what the experts say.

By Hannah Yasharoff, June 26, 2023 Dr. Alex Dimitriu specializes in psychiatry and sleep medicine but does not use psychedelic treatments with his patients because the treatments are illegal in most U.S. states, he said. But he believes they have merit. “When people are stuck or suffering, well-guided change can be beneficial, and psychedelics are agents that encourage such transformative […]

What Causes a Sense of Impending Doom?

By Lynne Eldridge, MD, June 29, 2023 This sense of impending doom is often fueled by the fact that the mind is a “meaning-making machine” that seeks patterns and attributes meaning to what we are experiencing, explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. This can […]

The Big Connection Between Asthma and Sleep Apnea

By Elizabeth Millard, June 23, 2023 Asthma and sleep apnea are chronic conditions that can result in significant health concerns…so what happens when you have both of them? It’s a predicament that many people with asthma have to navigate, according to Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine […]

Better Deep Sleep May Delay or Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

June 22, 2023 Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: Better Deep Sleep May Delay or Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease Quality deep sleep may compensate for the cognitive dysfunction and memory impairment of Alzheimer’s disease and could become the target of future therapies, especially in early and mild cases of the disorder. That is […]

Teen anxiety remains on the rise. Increasing therapy support could help

By Claire Wolters , June 20, 2023 Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and Founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, says that, “numerous factors have coincided to contribute to increased teen anxiety”—prior to the pandemic—including the introduction of smartphones and widespread use of social media around 2012. Click HERE for the full article.

How to Know If You’re the Toxic One in Your Relationship

By Brianne Hogan, June 16, 2023 “Toxic is quite a strong word, and reality may be more nuanced or gray in some cases,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. “However, it serves as a powerful reminder of what can go wrong and what to watch out for. ‘Manipulative,’ ‘selfish,’ […]

How to sleep better this summer

By Morgan Mandriota, June 16, 2023 Alex Dimitriu, MD, is double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Below, he shares expert tips on how to sleep better year-round, especially this summer. Q:          Everybody has different habits and preferences. What are the ideal, evidence-backed temperature […]

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