Your diet, the temperature and a busy social calendar may be to blame for that afternoon slump.

by Kelsey Butler / Jul.18.2018

Sleep is pretty much my favorite pastime. Over the years, even as other hobbies have come and gone — crocheting, piano playing and terrarium-making among them — snoozing has always been my preferred way to spend downtime.

And despite insomnia running in my family, I’ve always been blessed enough to be able to sleep when I want to, including during bad movies (sorry “Batman v Superman”), airport layovers and morning train rides to work. I’ve always been lucky when it comes to sleep … until recently. As I’ve gotten older, and particularly during the warmer months of the year, I find it harder and harder to get to sleep and get the rest I need. What gives?

“Longer days certainly make it hard to get to bed on time,” says psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Alex Dimitriu. “With a sunset time of 8 [p.m.], it’s easy to be outside later (enjoying the cooler evening), then come home and start the ‘regular’ evening routine. But now everything may be happening two to three hours later than in the winter months, so it’s easy to get to bed too late.”

Click HERE for the full article on NBC Better.

Difficulty breathing, sweating, trembling, heart pounding, fear… sounds like you might be having a panic attack.

Panic disorder has a genetic component, but panic attacks can occur for anyone. Stress precipitates panic attacks. Someone who is already stressed is prone to panic attacks. Many people suffer quietly.

Panic attacks are short-lived and intense, lasting no more than a couple of hours. Rule out any medical causes right away. Blood work and heart observations will help rule out medical conditions that could be disguised by a panic attack.

You will not die from a panic attack. Behavioral and pharmacological treatments are available for those who experience frequent panic attacks.

Listen HERE as Dr. Alex Dimitriu joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how to handle panic attacks.

By CARINA WOLFF, 7/16/18

If you’re someone who has suffered from insomnia, you’ve likely tried everything under the sun to help yourself fall asleep at night. Counting sheep may not help, but there are a number of other different cures for insomnia that sleep specialists swear by that might be worth a shot. Sometimes, the answers to your sleep problems just involve some out-of-the-box solutions, and who better to advise you on these odd habits then the sleep experts themselves?

Click HERE for the full article on Bustle.

Menlo Park, CA, July 12, 2018 – We all feel down, or blue, or sad, at times. Sadness is a natural human emotion, usually triggered by a loss, disappointment, or major life change. According to psychiatrist Dr. Alex Dimitriu, this sadness is generally short-lived and dissipates over time as we adjust to a new situation. “We often casually refer to this situational sadness as depression,” he says, “but it is important to distinguish it from clinical depression, a much more severe and long-lasting condition that has serious implications for long-term mental and physical health and must be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional.”

Click HERE for the full article on HealthNewsDigest.

Written by Jessica Peralta on July 10, 2018

Here’s what you need to know about this popular new sleep aid.

Many of us have had at least one incident of lying in bed staring at the ceiling during the early morning hours, unable to fall asleep.

In fact, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 30 to 35 percent of adults complain of insomnia.

It’s an issue that has sparked a robust market of sleep supplements, aids, and online tips promising a better night’s rest. One of the latest is a drinkable “sleep aid” product in a can called Som Sleep. The drink contains L-theanine, GABA, and melatonin — ingredients often linked to relaxation and sleep.

Click HERE for the full article on HealthLine.

by ALEX DIMITRIU, MD, July 2019

Sleep is as important to our health as good nutrition and regular exercise. Not getting enough sleep is detrimental to daytime functioning – to our mood, energy, concentration and reaction time – and over the long term, it contributes to obesity and the risk of serious illness. But sleepless nights have implications well beyond making you sleepy the next day. Some of the most exciting research in sleep science is studying the effects of sleep on the brain and what happens when you deprive your brain of restorative sleep. New research suggests that sleeping less than seven to eight hours a night can be linked to memory loss, cognitive decline, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Click HERE for the full article on ThirdAge.

by Elizabeth Yuko, Jun 25, 2018

When it comes to dealing with toxic relationships, the most obvious solution is to cut ties with the person. This is certainly easier said than done when it comes to friends, people you’ve dated or acquaintances, but what if cutting someone out completely is impossible? These are situations involving close family members who you have no choice but to interact with or potentially a boss or coworker.

So, what can we do when we have to continue to have someone in our life even though we know they’re detrimental to our own mental health and well-being? While there’s no easy solution, we spoke to a few mental health professionals who were able to provide us with some tips for coping with toxic people we can’t just cut out of our lives.

Click HERE for the full article on SheKnows.