About Melissa Chefec

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Entries by Melissa Chefec

How to Be a Better Friend, According to Therapists

By Sian Ferguson, Apr 17, 2025 Founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, Dr. Alex Dimitriu—a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist—agrees. “A good friend is someone who shows up, listens well, shares in your joys, and supports you through challenges without judgment,” he says. In other words: You don’t have to be perfect. You just have […]

The 6 best alarm clocks of 2025, tested and reviewed

By Jenny McGrath and Suzy Hernandez, Apr, 15, 2025 “Light sleepers may want as few distractions and artificial light as possible,” said Alex Dimitriu, MD, the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. “Deep sleepers may want an alarm that is loud or gradually loud, possibly with light or a sunrise simulator to facilitate waking […]

3 foods to avoid while taking Strattera

By Sarah Bradley, Apr 10, 2025 Strattera is part of a class of medications called selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These drugs increase the amount of norepinephrine in your brain. Norepinephrine “plays a crucial role in attention, focus, and cognition,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.  Dr. Dimitriu says increasing […]

Why Sleep Disturbance and Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Go Hand in Hand

By Khendra Cherry, Apr 7, 2025 According to Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a double board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, sleep and eczema have a bidirectional relationship. “Sleep and eczema are closely linked, and one can feed off of the other,” he explains. Click HERE for the full article.

I Tried NSDR for a Week—Here’s How It Improved My Mental Health

By Sian Ferguson, Mar 27, 2025 To learn more, I spoke with Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.  Dimitriu says that both napping and NSDR can be helpful, but they fulfill different needs. “For someone sleep deprived, a nap may be best,” he […]

Why We’re Obsessed with Other People’s Morning Routines

By Erica Sweeney, Mar 26, 2025 But routines should be personal and tailored to your needs and lifestyle, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. There’s no “secret sauce” for morning habits that will automatically help you become like someone you admire. Videos […]

Selecting a Treatment Option for Tardive Dyskinesia

By Brianna Graham, Mar 26, 2025 “VMAT-2 inhibitors are effective in reducing TD symptoms, but caution is needed in older adults due to potential side effects like gait disturbances,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, in an interview with Physician’s Weekly. Click HERE for the full article.

Beta Blockers Are the Buzziest New Anti-Anxiety Medicine—Here’s What to Know

By Lo Styx, Mar 25, 2025 To determine the best medication fit for his patients, psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, MD, groups symptoms of anxiety into two categories. “I always ask my patients if they feel anxiety more in the mind—rumination, catastrophic thoughts, worry—or the body—racing heart, tight chest, shortness of breath, tremor,” Dimitriu says. “More globally it should […]

EMDR Therapy: How It Works for PTSD and Other Trauma

By Claire Wolters, Mar 24, 2025 “The role of the therapist during the bilateral movement processing is similar to a music conductor working with an improvisation,” says Shiva Wilson, a psychotherapist with Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “The clinician’s ability to observe the physical cues of the client is an important […]

Monitoring for Tardive Dyskinesia: Who Is at Greatest Risk?

By Brianna Graham, Mar 12, 2025 The Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) is the gold standard for monitoring TD symptoms. It is recommended to screen patients at the start of antipsychotic treatment, annually for most patients, and every six months for high-risk groups, including older adults and those on FGAs. In addition, Alex Dimitriu, MD, advises […]

5 Things You Should Avoid After 7 PM If You Struggle With Anxiety

By Caitlin Pagan, Mar 7, 2025 Bright lights, interactive gadgets like smartphones, arguments, and problem-solving are all terrible for falling asleep, according to Alex Dimitriu, MD, a dual board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist based in California. “Even if you do manage to fall asleep, sleep will be lighter as the brain just can’t slow down that […]

Refining Tardive Dyskinesia Diagnosis: Causes, Symptoms, & Common Misdiagnoses

By Brianna Graham, Feb 26, 2025 What is Tardive Dyskinesia? TD is a hyperkinetic movement disorder resulting from long-term use of dopamine receptor–blocking agents commonly found in antipsychotic medications. “TD typically presents after long-term use of dopamine-blocking medications but can also appear early in the treatment course, sometimes within the first month,” says psychiatrist Alex […]

7 benefits of sleeping naked, from better rest to a potential weight loss

By Reda Wigle, Feb 21, 2025 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep doctor based in California, previously told The Post that a cold room — between 60 and 67 degrees — is best for getting to and staying asleep. When your body temperature drops, it signals it’s time to slow down. In-kind, and in […]

6 Ways Your Health Takes A Hit After A Single Night Of Bad Sleep

By Jenn Sinrich, Feb 14, 2025 Insufficient sleep also causes cortisol—the stress hormone—to go into overdrive, which keeps your body stuck in high-alert mode, making you feel more anxious, irritable, and generally on edge, according to Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a physician double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Without proper rest, […]

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