By Hedy Phillips, Apr 14, 2022

However, melatonin can become so much a part of someone’s daily routine that they may feel like they can’t sleep without it. “Many people who take melatonin for insomnia may also have some degree of anxiety, especially around sleep — and this is where routines become locked in, and people can become anxious with any change to a particular routine, such as taking melatonin,” explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD. If someone becomes so reliant on melatonin that they’re almost afraid to find out what would happen if they stopped taking it, they may have what Dr. Dimitriu calls a psychological addiction.

Click HERE for the full article.

By Justin Krajeski, Apr 1, 2021

A pillow “can make a big difference in our ability to sleep well,” says sleep medicine specialist Alex Dimitriu, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist. While you can try to supplement your sleeping situation with blackout curtains or sleep masks or melatonin diffusers, your posture at night is just as important — as is the right pillow to encourage it, among other supports. Dimitriu told us that the right pillow will help ensure you “maintain a relatively straight or neutral head and neck position — neither too high nor too low.” Imagine your neck as a garden hose: Whereas a straight hose represents how you should be sleeping, a twisted hose is more likely to obstruct both your breathing and sleep quality, he explained. In other words, a pillow that’s too high or too low for your neck might cause problems. Since a pillow can change how soundly you sleep, finding the right one matters. We consulted medical experts — Dimitriu among them — to learn what’s worth considering when you’re buying a pillow. We also compiled some of the best pillows available now for all types of sleepers.

Click HERE for the full article.

By George Citroner, Mar 30, 2022

Although in more extreme cases, Dimitriu said stronger measures might be needed to treat this condition. “Therapy has been shown to be as effective as medication for depression – however it can take longer, unlike two pills of Prozac,” he cautioned. Dimitriu said medications might be more beneficial and faster acting than therapy for people with more severe symptoms or significant family histories of psychiatric conditions.

Click HERE for the full article.

By Madeleine H. Burry, Mar 19, 2022

“The snooze button can be a nice way to procrastinate waking up, or wake up a little more gently,” says psychiatrist and sleep physician Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD.

Click HERE for the full article.

By Nicole McDermott, Mar 10, 2022

“Why we dream is uncertain, but we do know that the brain does a lot of cleanup and memory packaging—and rehearsing—during the night,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California.

Dr. Dimitriu believes dreams can be random and may just be the brain having fun experimenting with loose connections and ideas. “Dreams can also be based on reality—based on the happenings in our lives and the concerns on our minds,” he says.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, coined the term “day residue” to explain how we continue working on a specific problem or plan for an upcoming event in our sleep. “Whatever is on your mind by day could be reflected in your dreams at night,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “The brain continues to problem solve long after you’re asleep.”

Click HERE for the full article.

By Lauren Schumacker, Feb 25, 2022

We all know lying is something that should generally be avoided. However, telling small white lies every now and again to prevent awkward situations or help someone out can be harmless. That being said, no one wants to be unknowingly lied to and manipulated. “People lie because quite often some version of the truth hurts or has consequences,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, M.D., dual board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD, tells Romper. “Lying is often an immediately easy way out, perhaps with bigger consequences later.”

Click HERE for the full article.

By Colleen Travers, Feb 25, 2022

Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified doctor in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BRAINFOODmd, warns that in some instances, particularly if you have subpar airflow through your nasal passages, mouth taping may result in worsening your sleep quality, so he often doesn’t recommend it to his clients.

Click HERE for the full article.