As a cardiac nurse, Jeff Gorrell knows a lot about sleep apnea. It’s common among his patients. And he also knows how serious it can be. Untreated sleep apnea can cause atrial fibrillation (AFib), increase stroke risk and shorten life expectancy.

What Jeff didn’t know was that though he was young, slim and didn’t snore, sleep apnea was robbing him of his best life.

“There is a stigma with sleep apnea — you think it only affects people who are obese. I don’t fit that mold,” says Jeff.

Today, thanks to donor gifts to support the Mercy Health Sleep Medicine Program, Jeff gets the sleep he needs to be his best.

“I went to my personal care physician because I felt tired,” says Jeff. “He did lab work and sent me to sleep medicine.”

An easy, at-home sleep study led to Jeff’s diagnosis. He was prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while he sleeps. He was skeptical, but his first night with the CPAP delivered a solid eight hours of sleep, and now Jeff is a believer.

“It’s not only a lifestyle change, it’s a life adjustment,” said Jeff. “You don’t realize how much you miss sleep until you get it.”

He’s grateful for donors who support the Mercy Health Sleep Medicine Program.

“Just thank you, because otherwise this wouldn’t have been available. It’s nice to have a good night’s sleep. It makes me a better practitioner.”