Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine
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Study Shows Rapid Brain Response to Ketamine for Depression

By Elizabeth Millard, June 16, 2020

“Part of ketamine’s utility is that it has many uses, and has been extensively used on the battlefield, as well as in the rescue of the Thai soccer team from a cave [in 2019],” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “It can lift mood, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. But it absolutely shouldn’t be seen as something you can use on your own as a way to self-medicate.”

Click HERE for the full article.

Sleep, Mental Health, and a Viral Pandemic? It’s Complicated

By Dr. Alex Dimitriu, Jun 09, 2020

Sleep, mental health, and now the COVID-19 pandemic? It is a relationship best described in the words of British author Douglas Adams: “All you really need to know for the moment is that the universe is a lot more complicated than you might think.” 

Click HERE for the full article.

7 Tips for Living With Depression

By Ruben Castaneda, Staff Writer, June 1, 2020

Prozac, Zoloft and other antidepressants can help with mood symptoms, often within four to six weeks, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. He’s the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “Side effects are not too common, but sometimes can include reduced libido, some stomach upset and headache, the latter of which often disappears within the first week,” Dimitriu says. “Weight gain, while possible, tends to be fairly minimal. There is no need to suffer silently these days; we have actual working treatments.”

Click HERE for the full article.

12 Ways to Wake Yourself Up Before You PTFO at Your Desk

by Kara Cuzzone, MAY 20, 2020

“On the days I feel tired, I often notice just as much of a boost in energy from two cups of water as I would from drinking one cup of coffee,” adds Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Keep a water bottle on your desk to remind you to stay hydrated. Yeah, you’ll probably have to pee all the time. But getting up and moving around for bathroom breaks is actually a great way to wake up too, Dr. Dimitriu adds.

Click HERE for the full article.

COVID-19: Tales of the “Good, the Bad and the Ugly”

May 14, 2020. Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today about COVID-19: Tales of the “Good, the Bad and the Ugly”

Awaking without an alarm. Working from home — in pajamas, no less. Connecting with colleagues, friends and relatives — frequently and virtually — through an app and click of a mouse. Long commutes in rush-hour traffic and inclement weather — history. Time-wasted travel to meetings — forgotten. Looming commitments, must-attend events — canceled. Soccer practice — postponed. All because a virus has forced us to shelter. Isn’t this what we always wanted? Get off the merry-go-round? Take a break? Chill?

Click HERE for the full article.

Having Trouble Sleeping? Try These Expert-Backed Tips

By Deanna deBara, May 14, 2020

“Exercise can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Exercise helps the body set its natural rhythm and tells the brain that this is a time to be awake. It [also] boosts endorphins and provides an outlet to release tension and pent up energy.”

Click HERE for the full article.

What’s Up With the Recurring Quarantine Nightmares?

Anna Gragert, May 11, 2020

Unpleasant and strange as these bad dreams might be for those of us having them, sleep experts aren’t surprised. “In a situation like the current one with Covid-19, with an increase in background stress, it makes sense that we might experience more disturbing dreams,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep. “Freud, in his dream analysis, also referred to something known as ‘day residue.’” Day residue describes waking-life events that appear in our dreams and nightmares. These images and scenes typically pop up during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phase, according to Dimitriu, which tends to take place during the second half of the night.

Click HERE for the full article.

Screens, Sleep and Home Office Syndrome with Dr. Alex Dimitriu

Podcast host Malia Jacobson, May 7, 2020

Right now, screens connect us to our families, friends, teachers, workplaces, and the world. They also sabotage our sleep. On this episode, psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist Alex Dimitriu, MD, talks about how light exposure shapes our physical and mental health, how to protect sleep when screens are everywhere, blue-light blocking glasses, and what to do about “home office syndrome” as we head into our third month of telework and home-based school.

Click HERE to listen to the Podcast on Spotify.

Screen Time Doesn’t Hurt Kids’ Social Skills, Study Finds

by George Citroner on May 1, 2020

“Excess screen time, especially in the evening hours, and even more so just before bed, is bad for everyone’s sleep,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, and founder of Menlo Park (California) Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “The blue light from the screen — yes, even the dimming features are not enough — reduce melatonin, and reduce the quality of deep sleep that our brains need,” he said. Dimitriu also described how the interactivity of digital devices could keep people internet surfing until late at night, while you may only read a book for 20 minutes before dozing off.

Click HERE for the full article.

7 Benefits of Weighted Blankets, Explained by Sleep Specialists

By Kara Cuzzone , | Apr. 29, 2020

In a 2015 study published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders, participants with insomnia slept more calmly and spent less time awake in the middle of the night than when they used their regular bedding. They also subjectively believed that the blankets provided them with a better quality sleep. But it’s important to remember that this won’t necessarily be the outcome for everyone who suffers from insomnia, especially since this sleep disorder has a number of different classifications. “Given the mixed evidence, I encourage patients to try [a weighted blanket], but with the realization that it may not work,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu M.D., double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.

Click HERE for the full article.

Can depression cause insomnia? Yes, the conditions are closely related

MK Manoylov, April 29, 2020

This article was medically reviewed by Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. 

Depression and insomnia often go hand-in-hand. That’s because depression can disrupt many aspects that help control our sleep-wake cycle.  This disruption can make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. Here’s what you need to know about how depression is related to insomnia and how to treat the combination of these medical conditions. Can depression cause insomnia? Depression can cause insomnia because of how it impacts the mechanics of sleep

Click HERE for the full article.

Staying Up Too Late Only to Feel Exhausted During the Day? Here’s How to Break the Habit

By Caitlin Flynn, April 23, 2020

Of course, committing to getting up at the same time every morning can be difficult if you’re having trouble falling asleep at night, so you may need to power through a period of feeling tired. Once you’re up, try getting some light exercise — or at least some natural light — to help jumpstart your day, and know that this will pass. “After several days of feeling tired, people will naturally feel sleepier at an earlier time in the night,” Dr. Dimitriu said.

Click HERE for the full article.

Are naps good for you? 20 to 30 minute naps are best

April 16, 2020 — Dr. Alex Dimitriu, Founder of the Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine clinic, was interviewed by Insider for the article, “Are naps good for you? 20 to 30 minute naps are best.”

Click HERE for the full article.

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MENLO PARK PSYCHIATRY & SLEEP MEDICINE

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

REGIONS COVERED: We serve clients of the Bay Area, including the communities of Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Mountain View, Portola Valley, Atherton, Sunnyvale, and San Jose

Phone 650-326-5888
Address 1225 Crane Street, Suite 205
Menlo Park, CA 94025
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