In the News

Is It Just the COVID-19 Blues or Is It Depression?

January 27, 2021. Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: “Is It Just the COVID-19 Blues or Is It Depression?” “Don’t wish it away. Don’t look at it like it’s forever. Between you and me, I could honestly say that things can only get better.” These words from Elton John’s song […]

How a Full Moon May Affect Your Sleep

Written by George Citroner on January 27, 2021 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, said the moon most likely exerts its effect by an increase in evening or nighttime light. This might suppress melatonin (a sleep hormone), which affects the onset and duration of sleep. “According to this study, it does seem that […]

What Is Toxic Positivity, and Why Do Experts Say It’s Harmful?

January 21, 2021 by Jenna Wirth “Toxic positivity is essentially the denial of negative feelings, a forced positive attitude that attempts to negate any negative sentiment,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified physician in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told POPSUGAR. “It’s telling someone ‘to cheer up’ or that […]

Should you wake a sleepwalker? And other sleepwalking FAQs answered

Amanda Capritto, Jan. 20, 2021 Dr. Alex Dimitriu, psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, says sleepwalking is an example of a “disorder of confusional arousal.” “People do weird things at night when they are half awake and half asleep,” he says. “You are confused, because you are half asleep. I […]

Night terrors: What causes them and how to get rid of them

Amanda Capritto, Jan. 20, 2021 Night terrors and nightmares both involve sleep and fear, but they differ in a couple of ways. One key difference is the time at which they happen, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, psychiatrist and sleep physician at Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine.  Nightmares are scary dreams that usually occur during REM sleep, which […]

What Are Depression Naps?

By Emilia Benton, January 13, 2021 According to Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California, depression naps refer to taking a nap when you’re feeling low, in an effort to boost your mood. But it might not necessarily indicate a serious problem. “It […]

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