Updated Nov. 13, 2019 By Wendy Rose Gould

You’ve heard this advice ad nauseam, but there’s a reason meditation has been prescribed to treat the human condition since roughly 1500 BCE. “The art of falling asleep is actually not trying so hard,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, who’s board-certified in both psychiatry and sleep medicine. “Knowing how to clear your thoughts and focus on breathing will always help. The trick is to practice by day — not when it’s mission-critical at 3 a.m.” Meditation can be as simple as sitting in a quiet space and taking meaningful, deliberate breaths or listening to your favorite music for five minutes.

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By Leah Campbell, 11/5/19

“In most cases, 4 to 6 weeks on a therapeutic dose of an antidepressant is enough time to assess if the medication is working,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine.  He made a point of explaining that’s only for therapeutic doses, though. “Indeed, most doctors will appropriately start with lower doses to minimize side effects. But these doses may not be effective, and hence not count toward the 4–6 week time period to assess full response,” he said. He also pointed out that some evidence suggests anxiety disorders may take even longer for medications to become effective.

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By Elaine K. Howley, Contributor, Sept. 11, 2019

The simple logistics of growing another human inside your belly leads to a lot of structural changes in the body, which may mean your normal sleeping positions are no longer comfortable. For example, if you prefer to sleep on your stomach, as your pregnancy progresses, you may not be able to assume that sleeping position. This can disrupt your ability to sleep and may make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Dimitriu says these structural changes in your body are one of the biggest reasons why pregnant women experience insomnia. “Being larger and trying to sleep with a big belly can be challenging.”

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By Elizabeth Yuko, August 15, 2019

In fact, it’s that “realness” of dreams that causes us to continue to experience feelings from the dream—whether that’s joy, sadness, fear or anxiety—upon waking. “There is some theory that we process emotions and feelings in dreams, and in some cases if the emotions are too strong, we wake up, and never get to ‘process’ these thoughts,” Dimitriu explains. “This is believed to be the case with PTSD, and why people with PTSD continue to suffer and wake with disturbing nightmares by night, and flashbacks by day.”

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by Emma Stessman, August 2019

The problem is, weighted blankets are often made with plastic pellets or glass beads, and all that extra weight can make things hot. “The body’s ability to cool off naturally at night allows us to enter deeper, more refreshing sleep,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. A heavy blanket can easily interrupt that, he says. To counter those effects, you should maintain a cool room temperature and choose a blanket with a breathable material. Companies like Gravity and Luxome offer “cooling” blankets, made with moisture-wicking and thermal-controlled materials to help things stay at a sleep-worthy temp.

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Christine Coppa, July 19, 2019

Also important to stress: “If someone is in the midst of a bipolar manic or depressed episode, most non-medical interventions, including exercise, will not be enough to help, and should never be relied upon as treatment,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified psychiatrist and sleep-medicine specialist in Menlo Park, CA.

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