By Jennifer Chesak, Oct 30, 2025 “[Chronic] insomnia is clinically defined by trouble falling or staying asleep for three or more days a week over a three-month period,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. If you have trouble sleeping, you […]
By Rachel Kiley, Oct 29, 2025 There are all sorts of remedies—both natural and pharmaceutical—for getting a good night’s rest. But what we consume plays a role—specifically, adding foods for better sleep may make a difference in your quality of Zs. “Food plays a large role in the quality of our sleep,” Alex Dimitriu, M.D., founder […]
By Erica Sweeney, Oct 28, 2025 Patients often try more than one antidepressant before finding the right fit, This is often due to side effects and effectiveness, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician, and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in California. Dr. Dimitriu was not involved with the study. “Some people will […]
By BethAnn Mayer, Oct 28, 2025 Taking vitamin B12 supplements may cause you to burn the midnight oil, experts warn. “Overly high levels of B12 can lead to sleep fragmentation and earlier waking,” explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine specialist and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Click […]
By Jessica Migala, Oct 21, 2025 Clinical depression—the most severe form of depression—is complicated, and influenced by a variety of factors including individual brain chemistry, genetics, a history of trauma, and stress. Treatment of the condition, too, is complex, needing to address the biological, genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors at play, which differ from person-to-person. “For depression […]
By Clarissa Brincat, Oct 16, 2025 “We know that light, whether artificial or natural, can have a suppressant effect on melatonin, so it is plausible that moonlight could have a natural wake promoting effect,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. Click HERE for […]
By Sharon Brandwein, Sep 28, 2025 “Work, especially cognitively demanding tasks, can keep your brain in a state of alertness,” said Alex Dimitriu, MD, a dual board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine physician. “Your brain cannot go from 100 mph to zero quickly. Stepping away from work-related stress well before lights out helps signal to your […]
By Marygrace Taylor, Sep 25, 2025 CPAP therapy uses a mask to deliver continuous air pressure through your airway during sleep, which helps keep the area open and prevents breathing disruptions. But if the mask doesn’t fit correctly, it can end up leaking, which means you might not be reaping all of the benefits of […]
By Shannon Dawson, Sep 19, 2025 Struggling to fall or stay asleep? Your body temperature plays a key role in regulating your sleep cycle, especially during REM sleep, the restorative stage when your brain and body recharge. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, room temperature is one of the most crucial factors […]
By Clarissa Brincat, Sep 16, 2025 “I think we need to be careful any time scientists and especially TikTokers make medical claims,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. The first thing he does when he comes across such videos is to check what […]
By Jessica Migala, Sep 13, 2025 Overall, “melatonin supplements may lead to weight loss,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double-board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. One big caveat: “Most of this research is from rat studies, and the doses of melatonin […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
