11
ALTHOUGH SHE
felt tired all the
time, Lorraine Diakantonis didn’t
realize she wasn’t sleeping well.
After a trip to her doctor’s office
and a full battery of diagnostic tests
that came up negative, Diakantonis’
physician recommended a clinical
assessment – also known as a sleep
study – at the Martin Health Sleep
Disorders Center. Despite some
initial reluctance, Diakantonis was
pleasantly surprised by both the
experience itself and the outcome.
During the sleep study, test
results indicated Diakantonis
might have sleep apnea, a breathing
disorder characterized by brief
interruptions of breathing during
sleep. The technician woke her
in the middle of the night to try
a therapeutic CPAP (continuous
positive airway pressure) mask.
What she’d been missing
Her next three hours of sleep were
the best she had in a long time.
When she arrived at work that
morning, she felt bright and alert.
“I could breathe better, and I
felt like an entirely new person,”
Diakantonis says.
She discovered another benefit
from her experience – weight loss.
Without even trying, Diakantonis
lost weight, simply because of the
newfound energy she acquired from
getting a good night’s sleep. “This
has changed the whole quality of my
life,” she says.
Could you have
a sleep disorder?
Sleep is essential to the renewal of
our physical and mental health each
day. Yet sleep issues have become
prevalent – an estimated 70 mil-
lion Americans have an underly-
ing health disorder that is affecting
their sleep. The prevalence of sleep
disorders also appears to increase
with age.
Quality
Sleep study leads woman to
newfound energy, vitality
ZZZs
Sleep experts.
Daucia Dillon, registered
sleep technologist (left), talks with Lorraine
Diakantonis at the Martin Health Sleep
Disorders Center. “The staff couldn’t have
done more for me,” Diakantonis says.
“They treated me like family.”
Sweet
slumber
awaits
The Martin Health Sleep
Disorders Center, located in
Palm City, has been recently
renovated to make the bed-
room-like settings more con-
temporary and comfortable.
The private sleep bays offer a
full-size bed, bathroom with
shower, Wi-Fi and flat-screen
TVs with satellite service.
A physician referral is
required for treatment, and
services are covered by
Medicare and most insurance
policies.
HOW’S YOUR SLEEP?
Take our online Sleep Disorders Risk
Questionnaire at
martinhealth.org/sleep
to find out if you should
discuss sleep issues with your physician.
SLEEP
