This Newly Approved Narcolepsy Drug Is the First to Target the Sleep Disorder’s Root Cause Rather Than Its Symptoms

By Sara Hashemi, Aug 18, 2026

Previous treatments for narcolepsy type 1 included stimulants to help patients stay awake and central nervous system depressants to alleviate cataplexy and improve nighttime sleep. But they only addressed symptoms of the disease. They acted more like a “patch” than a fix, says Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep physician at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, to Forbes’ Claire Wolters. Orzeyful, manufactured by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda, instead works by restoring the body’s orexin cycle by mimicking the natural chemical.

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The FDA Approved A New Drug For Narcolepsy. Here’s Why Patients Call It ‘Historic’ Published: Aug 10, 2026, 4:39pm

By Claire Wolters, Aug 10, 2026

Before Orzeyful’s approval, Alex Dimitriu, M.D., psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, says narcolepsy drugs acted as a “patch” rather than a more targeted treatment. “Every prior drug addressed the symptoms with stimulants or sedatives,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “Orzeyful restores the actual signal, which makes it closer to a fix than a patch.”

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Bipolar Disorder and Relationships

By Elizabeth Millard, Aug 6, 2026

Mood episodes are often the clearest source of relationship strain in bipolar disorder. For the person experiencing the symptoms and those close to them, the impact is not always constant. Instead, it tends to intensify during mania, hypomania, or depression, then ease during more stable periods. This episodic pattern can be confusing for loved ones, especially when someone is doing well between episodes and then seems very different during a mood shift, explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in California.

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Sleep vs. Exercise: Which Is More Important for Managing Stress?

By Adam Meyer, Jul 31, 2026

Research shows that chronic lack of sleep is associated with significantly increased mortality and chronic disease risk.3 “Getting less than six to seven hours [of sleep] can significantly increase mortality and disease risk,” says board-certified physician and sleep expert Alex Dimitriu, M.D.

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8 Hacks For Better Summer Sleep

By Wendy Wisner, Jul 29, 2026

Alex Dimitriu, M.D., double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, recommends a simple but effective method for boosting quality sleep. “Start slowing down, stopping work, drinking, and screens using the 3-2-1 method,” he says. Here’s what that means:

3 hours before bed, stop alcohol and food consumption
2 hours before bed, stop work or anything too stimulating
1 hour before bed, turn screens off

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I fixed my 3 a.m. wake-ups and brain fog by syncing my sleep with the rising and setting of the sun, just like the Amish — doctors explain why this circadian living works

By Nicola Appleton, Jul 29, 2026

“Circadian means ‘around the day,’ and for humans and almost every other living thing on earth, it’s aligned with the sun and controls two of our most fundamental states of being — sleep and wake,” explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a doctor double-board certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. “At the core of the circadian system is sleep and wake,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “Sleepiness is reset by sleep, and builds up the more hours you are awake.”

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GLP-1s And Alcohol Addiction: Potential Benefits And What You Need To Know

Bt Jessica Rendall, Jul 28, 2026

Studies linking GLP-1 medication with potential use in addiction likely boils down to the fact that GLP-1s target parts of the brain that “mediate reward and dopamine release,” explains Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. This may be true whether the addiction is for food or drug, he explains. “There is a significant overlap, as both ‘food noise’ and substance cravings involve the brain’s reward circuitry and dopamine signaling,” says Dr. Dimitriu.

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Eat dinner at 5 p.m., take a 5-minute dance break and drink coffee — plus 6 more health tips to help you have a great week

By Rachel Grumman Bender, Jul 26, 2026

Eating dinner around 5 p.m. — a trend that’s been on the rise in the U.S. — doesn’t just make it easier to snag a coveted reservation, but it can also help you sleep better. Choosing the early bird special “improves sleep by reducing digestion while asleep and minimizing acid reflux, both of which can be disruptive to a good night’s sleep,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, tells Healthline. But keep in mind that the exact time isn’t as important as wrapping up eating and drinking — particularly caffeine and alcohol — about three hours before bedtime.

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Can being a night owl increase the risk of weight gain?

By Jessica Freeborn, Jul 20, 2026

Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, likewise not involved in this study, also noted that it “confirms a lot of what we have been hearing. Indeed, late evening types tend to eat less healthy foods after sunset, have a shorter period of fasting during the night, and also have a higher BMI and body fat percentage than people who go to bed earlier.”

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How Exercise Can Help You Manage Sleep Apnea

By Elizabeth Millard, Medically Reviewed by Dr. Alex Dimitriu, Jul 13, 2026

Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is considered the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment, lifestyle habits can also make a significant difference. A key example is exercise, which can improve sleep apnea severity and support mental and physical health as well. 
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Your Mental Health May Be Paying the Price of Working From Home

By George Citroner, Jun 20, 2026

“People who tend to isolate naturally, due to introversion, anxiety, or personality style, may find remote work comforting,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told The Epoch Times. “But it may not be the best thing for them.”

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I was struggling to fall asleep, yet waking up at 3 a.m. — until an expert made this simple change to my routine

By Nicola Appleton, Jun 10, 2026

For this borderline insomniac who frequently wakes up at 3 a.m., this was unprecedented. However, according to Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a dual board certified psychiatrist and sleep doctor, it’s entirely expected. “I tell my patients they need to be vertical by day, so they can sleep better horizontally at night,” he says.

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Shaquille O’Neal Shares How Zepbound Helped with Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss

By Cathy Cassata, Jun 10, 2026

Zepbound may help with moderate to severe OSA by addressing obesity, which plays a significant role in OSA, said Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Excess weight, especially around the neck, can narrow the airway and increase the risk of collapse during sleep,” he told Healthline. “Clinical evidence suggests that weight loss is highly effective in reducing disease severity.” Losing 10% to 15% of body weight can reduce OSA severity by as much as 50% in people with moderate obesity, Dimitriu said.

Click HERE for the full article.

 

5 Ways to Cope With Isolation and Loneliness if You Have Postpartum Depression

By Elizabeth Millard, Jun 10, 2026

One of the most crucial steps in alleviating postpartum isolation is recognizing which emotions are difficult and addressing them with a partner, friend, or health provider, says the psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, MD, the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California and a medical reviewer for Everyday Health. “There can be a cycle of silence, especially if you’ve withdrawn from others because you feel like you might be judged, or because you’re seeing other people return to their own busy lives,” he says. “But acknowledging how you feel is part of self-care.”

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MENLO PARK PSYCHIATRY & SLEEP MEDICINE

CONDITIONS TREATED: Anxiety, Depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, Insomnia, Bipolar Disorder, and Treatment Resistant Depression

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Menlo Park, CA 94025