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Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

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Forum Comments (4)

How do you pull an all nighter?
Bright lights will really help you stay awake. The important thing that we were taught at Stanford was that boredom unmasks sleepiness. One of the goals if you're trying to stay awake is not to get bored, so if you find yourself shutting down, do something interesting for a while.

However, caffeine and power naps are really the bonafide method to stay awake. This strategy is even employed by the army. It's a double-whammy method: drink a strong cup of coffee and immediately after that, take a nap for about 45 minutes. Right as you're waking up, the caffeine is kicking in, and you're looking at a double turbo boost of wakefulness, which can help you stay awake.
I can't sleep. What should I do?
If you're in bed and trying to fall asleep, avoid watching the clock! But if you cannot fall asleep within about 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing, ideally reading a book, in a dimly lit room. No phones, email, or problem solving: you want a passive, relaxing activity. When you start to feel sleepy, return to bed and try to fall asleep. Ideally try to avoid tossing and turning, and getting stressed out in bed. The bed is for sleep, and sex. Keep it that way.
I want to start lucid dreaming. Any good beginner methods?
The key component of lucid dreaming is really being able to recognize that you're dreaming. We are designed to forget our dreams and not remember them, so trying to lucid dream is a bit like fighting your biology. You can do it, but it takes time and practice. The goal is to train yourself to recognize that you're dreaming. There is some element of waking yourself up a little bit during the dream so that you are awake enough to know that you're dreaming but not awake enough to end the dream.

People use all kinds of tricks. Look for print. Most people can’t read written things when they dream. Also, you can look for familiar objects. Those will help you realize you’re dreaming if you inspect them closely enough. There are also devices you can buy that shine gentle red light behind your eyes when they detect eye movement (which means you’re in a deep sleep), which may help bring you into partial consciousness. Good luck!
I keep falling asleep in class!! How do you stay awake?
If you're trying to stay awake and alert, caffeine and power naps are really the bonafide methods that have been employed by the army. It's a double whammy method, where people have a strong cup of coffee, and immediately after that, they take a nap for about 45 minutes. Right as you're waking up, the caffeine is kicking in, and you're looking at a double turbo boost of wakefulness. Boredom unmasks sleepiness, so if your class is boring, you're going to have a hard time staying awake.

But if you're having trouble waking up in the morning, the main reason is not getting enough sleep or not getting quality sleep. If you're sleeping in a loud environment, if you're sleeping in a hot environment, if you have pain from any musculoskeletal or medical reasons, it can disrupt sleep. Also, sleep apnea can really disrupt the quality of sleep. There are people who will sleep nine hours a night and, because of poor sleep quality, still wake up feeling exhausted and tired. It's a matter of optimizing both sleep quantity and sleep quality but also recognizing that there might be an underlying sleep debt that might take more than one or two nights to resolve.

Co-authored Articles (73)

How to

Lucid Dream

Dream lucidity is the awareness that you are dreaming. This awareness can range from a faint recognition of the fact to a momentous broadening of perspective. Lucid dreams usually occur while a person is in the middle of...

How to

Induce Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when your body is not moving smoothly through the different stages of sleep and can involve hallucinations. Sleep paralysis can be an upsettin...

How to

Fall Asleep

Falling asleep isn't as easy as placing your head on a pillow and shutting your eyes. Thoughts and worries might race their way through your mind. Getting comfortable might seem incredibly impossible. Fortunately, from r...

Sleeping in the Nude: Potential Benefits and How to Get Started

Explore the benefits of going to bed in the buff You might have heard that sleeping naked provides all sorts of benefits for your mental and physical health and well-being. Although this all-natural sleeping style hasn't...

Chronotype Quiz: What's Your Natural Sleep Cycle?

You’ve probably heard the phrases “early bird” and “night owl” before—but did you know that these terms have to do with your chronotype (the time your body is naturally programmed to fall asleep and wake up)?...

How to

Improve Posture While Sleeping

Poor posture can affect your physical and emotional well-being, and can also disrupt your sleep. In addition to increased tension, poor circulation, and neck pain, you might also experience emotional tension related to c...

How to

Sleep Better

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and well-being. If you are having trouble sleeping, you're probably getting all kinds of different advice on how to fix ...

How to

Sleep when Drunk

Getting a good night’s sleep can sometimes be a challenge when you’ve had one too many. You can improve your chances of waking up feeling rested and recharged by taking a few simple measures before you start knocking...

How to

Go to Sleep Fast for Kids

Kids between the ages of 6 and 13 need about 9 to 11 hours of sleep every night. This requirement can be very hard to meet if falling asleep is a struggle. Most sleep aids are not safely age appropriate for kids, so it i...

How to

Sleep After Eating Too Much

You’ve gotten into your PJs, turned out the lights, and are all ready for bed—but your stomach has different plans. General discomfort, acid reflux, and heartburn can be a frustrating obstacle after you’ve eaten a ...

How to

Sleep with Rotator Cuff Pain

For many people, rotator cuff pain can be worse at night when they are trying to sleep. Your rotator cuff includes the muscles and tendons that help your arm stay in its sockets and move around. If your sleep is sufferin...

No More Morning Puffy Face: Prevent Bloating with Diet and Rest

While waking up with a puffy face might be annoying or embarrassing, it's usually no cause for concern. If you regularly have a puffy face in the morning, changes to your eating and sleeping habits may help it go away n...

How to

Sleep While Sitting Up

Have you ever been tired in a place without a bed or where it would be inappropriate to lay your head down? Sleeping while sitting upright can take some getting used to, but it is an option. If you make things as comfort...

How to Shop for a Mattress: The Only Guide You Need

Everything you need to know, from mattress types and firmness levels to pro saving tipsA good mattress is essential for your sleep quality and overall health and happiness—but how do you know what a good mattress is fo...

Why Am I So Tired Quiz

Yawn! No matter how much coffee you chug, it can be a real struggle to stay awake and alert throughout the day. What gives? Tiredness (a feeling of low energy) and sleepiness (a desire or ability to sleep if allowed to ...

How to

Sleep with Lots of Noise

Noise that invades your room when you're trying to sleep can keep you up at night, leaving you groggy when morning comes. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to block out unwanted noise. Use the tips below t...

What Do Dreams about Falling Mean?

Dreams about falling are about as classic as you can get, but what do they mean? While we sleep, our brains are doing a lot of work thinking through the events of the day.. 16 October 2019. For millennia, people have pra...

How to Make Sleeping on the Floor Comfortable

Why you should (or shouldn’t) try this unique sleeping techniqueSleeping on the floor can be a fun change of pace from your usual sleep routine, or it may seem like a practical alternative to help with your usual aches...

Sleeping with Headphones: Safety, Benefits, and More

Sleeping with headphones is something many people do every night, and for good reason. Listening to music can give us a better night’s sleep, and using headphones keeps you from disturbing other people with an external...

How to

Make It Through the Day After You Have Stayed up All Night

Whether you pulled an all-nighter to study for a test or you're just a regular night owl, you may be wondering how you can make it through the day on little or no sleep. It'll be hard to stay awake without dozing off, bu...
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