By Erin Magner, AUGUST 12, 2019 But why do people sleepwalk, anyway? Sleep medicine specialist Alex Dimitriu, MD, says it falls under the category of “parasomnia”—essentially, a glitch in a person’s sleep cycle. “These states occur when something disturbs our normal sleep depth,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “When this happens, the person awakens partially, in between sleep and wake.” […]
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 […]
Elaine K. Howley, July 29, 2019 Although nonmedical interventions have long been at the top of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommendations, at least one expert hopes the warnings will encourage practitioners to consider alternatives to the commonly prescribed sedative-hypnotic drugs. “Oftentimes, the hypnotic ‘Z’ drugs, such as zolpidem, are a Band-Aid or cosmetic fix […]
July 23, 2019, by Risa Kerslake “Sleep is the tip of the iceberg for our mind’s state,” Dimitriu explains. “People find it much easier to notice sleep is off because it is objective, thus it truly opens the door to investigating if something else is wrong.” Click HERE for the full article.
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. […]
By Tracey Anne Duncan, 7/18/19 “REM sleep is considered a time when the brain can process emotional memories, and ‘pack them away,” says Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep specialist at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in the San Francisco Bay Area. “When everything is working well, we experience unpleasant — and pleasant — […]
IS IT DANGEROUS TO WAKE A SLEEPWALKER? (AND OTHER TIPS TO HELP THE SOMNAMBULANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE)
By Erin Magner, AUGUST 12, 2019 But why do people sleepwalk, anyway? Sleep medicine specialist Alex Dimitriu, MD, says it falls under the category of “parasomnia”—essentially, a glitch in a person’s sleep cycle. “These states occur when something disturbs our normal sleep depth,” says Dr. Dimitriu. “When this happens, the person awakens partially, in between sleep and wake.” […]
Will a Weighted Blanket Improve Your Sleep? Experts weigh in on the heavy covers.
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 […]
Treating Insomnia Outside the (Black) Box
Elaine K. Howley, July 29, 2019 Although nonmedical interventions have long been at the top of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommendations, at least one expert hopes the warnings will encourage practitioners to consider alternatives to the commonly prescribed sedative-hypnotic drugs. “Oftentimes, the hypnotic ‘Z’ drugs, such as zolpidem, are a Band-Aid or cosmetic fix […]
Am I Depressed or Just Exhausted?
July 23, 2019, by Risa Kerslake “Sleep is the tip of the iceberg for our mind’s state,” Dimitriu explains. “People find it much easier to notice sleep is off because it is objective, thus it truly opens the door to investigating if something else is wrong.” Click HERE for the full article.
What People With Bipolar Disorder Need to Know About Exercise
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. […]
REM sleep can reset your brain after an upsetting event
By Tracey Anne Duncan, 7/18/19 “REM sleep is considered a time when the brain can process emotional memories, and ‘pack them away,” says Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep specialist at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in the San Francisco Bay Area. “When everything is working well, we experience unpleasant — and pleasant — […]