Top light therapy lamps that act as artificial sunshine during dreary days

By Zoe Malin, Jan 19, 2023

As the sun rises later and sets earlier during the winter months, odds are you feel some combination of sleepy, less motivated and plain old glum during the day. And to some degree, that’s totally normal, said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who specializes in psychiatry and sleep medicine, and is the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. Our circadian rhythm and other biological clocks are regulated by sunlight, so when there is less of it, we feel drained. Until the sun returns in spring, we can replace missing daylight with light therapy lamps, which simulate the light of a sunny sky and can help boost your mood, among other benefits.

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What Types of Music Help You Fall Asleep The Easiest

By David Rossiaky, Jan 18, 2023

“The human brain is a pattern recognizer and really enjoys getting it right,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California and BrainfoodMD. According to Dimitriu, songs that are highly danceable or energetic could in fact help someone fall asleep under the right conditions.

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5 tips to try lucid dreaming and take charge of your dreams and nightmares

January 18, 2023 — Dr. Alex Dimitrui, Founder of the Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine clinic, was interviewed by Insider for the article, “5 tips to try lucid dreaming and take charge of your dreams and nightmares.”

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Sleep experts say you can ‘catch up’ on sleep but sleeping in on the weekends isn’t the way to do it

January 14, 2023 — Dr. Alex Dimitriu, Founder of the Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine clinic, was interviewed by Insider for the article, “Sleep experts say you can ‘catch up’ on sleep but sleeping in on the weekends isn’t the way to do it.”

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The Last Word: Can a SAD Lamp Really Lift Your Mood in the Winter?

By Rena Goldman, Jan 10, 2023

But it’s not just a marketing ploy. SAD lamps are designed to recreate the natural light from the sun, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, an Everyday Health medical reviewer and a dual board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist based in Menlo Park, California. “That light is especially important in the morning.”  

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13 Top Travel Pillows for 2023

By Stacey Zable and Timothy J. Forster, Jan 5, 2023

Head support: What’s most important is ensuring your head is supported in the right places by your travel pillow – and, in particular, not being pushed forward by excessive padding – according to Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a sleep/wake and performance specialist who is dual board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. “The biggest issue many travelers will experience when sleeping on a plane is that the seats don’t recline enough,” Dimitriu says. “This often results in the head being just on the brink of tipping forward – which is not a comfortable sleeping position. Because of this insufficient recline, it is important to keep padding behind the head and neck minimal to reduce the tendency for the head to tip forward. A good pillow would provide support for side sleeping, rather than a lot of padding behind the head, which just pushes the head forward too much.”

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6 mental health conditions that exercise improves

By Heidi Borst, Jan 4, 2023

Exercise is an essential part of our well-being. It boosts metabolism, reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and produces endorphins, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified doctor in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of BrainfoodMD. “For all of my patients, I recommend SEMM: sleep, exercise, meditation, and the Mediterranean diet,” Dr. Dimitriu says. “I have seen substantial improvements to both sleep and mood stability from exercise routines.”

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Does Melatonin Help with Anxiety? What Doctors Say

By Brian Morris, Jan 04, 2023

“Some studies have been carried out showing that melatonin can reduce stress around surgery,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician (Psychology and Sleep Medicine) who founded Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine as well as BrainfoodMD. “In a 2015 review paper, the authors noted benefit to pre- and post-surgical anxiety in people pre-treated with melatonin – in one instance, with similar benefit to midazolam.”

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Sleep Remedies: Valerian Root

By Tracey L. Kelley, Dec 21, 2022

The medical history of the plant is quite extensive. “Valerian root has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for anxiety and insomnia,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “It’s believed to have originated in Europe and was first used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to treat insomnia and other nervous disorders.” Dimitriu adds that in the Middle Ages, Europeans used valerian root to treat anxiety, depression, and hysteria, while Native Americans also prepared it to treat insomnia, stress, and anxiety. In the 19th century, it was used in Europe and the United States as a sedative and to treat anxiety. Later, during World War II, it was a popular alternative in England for people to relieve tension associated with air raids. “Today, valerian root is still used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and stress,” he says.

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People Who Sleep Well Every Night Avoid This One Food, According to Sleep Experts

By Kaitlin Vogel, Dec 20, 2022

After a large meal, our bodies have to work to process the food, and our heart rate and metabolism remain elevated. This is the opposite of the restful effect desired when sleeping, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD. “Experimenting with various sleep trackers, I have consistently found my heart rate to be elevated well into the night after a big meal,” Dr. Dimitriu adds.

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Exposure to Natural Light During the Day May Help You Sleep Better

By Kaitlin Vogel, Dec 14, 2022

“Normally, light is a signal for wakefulness — and light in the evening hours can suppress melatonin and impair sleep,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD, told Healthline.

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What Is Hypnotherapy?

By Frances Gatta, Dec 13, 2022

Generally, “the efficacy of hypnotherapy depends on the participant, with some people being more prone or open to suggestion than others,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine, and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD. Around 80% of people, Dr. Dimitriu explains, are ‘medium’ for hypnotizability—meaning they’re somewhere between highly hypnotizable and not hypnotizable at all—and this tends to remain constant over their lifetime.

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The 8 Best Sleep Masks of 2022 to Block Out Light While Home or Away

By Courtney Leiva, Dec 9, 2022

Promising adequate light blocking with a comfortable concave shape, this is the eye mask to splurge on if you are looking for your best night’s sleep, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, a dual board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist. “This is a great sleep mask style that allows room for the eyes without pushing on the eyelids,” he tells PEOPLE. We also appreciate the adjustable strap so the mask won’t feel too tight or too loose on your head.

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Would You Feel Tired After Thinking Hard?

By Phil Lowe, Dec 8, 2022

The founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, Dr. Alex Dimitriu, says people need to stock how they feel. You ought to determine what causes the fatigue. Is it anxiety, lack of sleep, or being too busy at work? Experts claim that glutamate concentrations will often reduce when you sleep. Dr. Alex mentioned that enough sleep is the ideal way to deal with cognitive fatigue.

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3 Signs Your Health Anxiety Is Somatic Symptom Disorder

By Erica Sweeney, Dec 8, 2022

“It’s a preoccupation with some aspect of one’s physical health, a symptom or pain,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD.

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

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