A preview from The Up & Die Series Sleep Deprivation

Are you running
on empty?

A Doctor's Sleep Checkup
Woman lying awake in the early morning light

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you're tired. Not just tired — but running on empty.

Start Here

A Note From Dr. Puryear

Dr. Jerome Puryear

My first child was born right in the middle of my fellowship as an interventional radiologist in Miami. We were up every two hours. I would bounce her in the dark at 2am, then walk into the hospital a few hours later and try to look like a functioning human being. At the time, I thought I was managing. I really did.

I wasn't. My patience disappeared faster than it should have. My mood changed. Small mistakes started showing up, the kind I normally would have caught. And for a while, I blamed everything else. The schedule. The stress. The newborn stage. The demands of training.

Sleep barely crossed my mind. That is often how poor sleep works. It does not always announce itself as the problem. It shows up somewhere else first.

A shorter fuse. More mistakes. A body that feels older than it should. Brain fog you keep trying to push through. That was me. It might be you.

— Jerome Puryear, MD

This checkup will not diagnose you. It is not meant to. But it can help you pause long enough to see whether poor sleep has become a pattern.

And that is a good place to start.

The Assessment

Sleep Warning Sign Checklist

Read through these and notice what lands.

At Night
During the Day
In Your Routine
Understanding the Assessment

What Your Score Means

Your score reflects the number of sleep-related patterns you identified.
This checkup is educational and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical advice.

0–4 · A Few Patterns Showed Up

Basic Maintenance

A few sleep-related patterns showed up. Start with one or two simple changes and practice them consistently.

5–9 · Several Patterns Showed Up

Your Body Is Paying a Price

Several sleep-related patterns showed up. Your sleep may already be affecting how you feel and function during the day. Start with the Sleep Reset Plan and pay attention to any symptoms that continue.

10+ · Many Patterns Showed Up

Worth Taking Seriously

Many sleep-related patterns showed up. These signals are worth discussing with a healthcare provider or sleep specialist.

Assessment Complete

Your Sleep Checkup Is Complete!

Here is what your answers reveal about your sleep patterns.

Your Sleep Checkup Result

Your result is ready

Your next step: Tonight, choose a realistic bedtime and aim to keep it consistent. You can explore the full Sleep Reset Plan below.

Check your inbox: Your 5-Day Sleep Reset email series is on its way.

Shield Insight · Puryear Prevention

Awareness

Poor sleep is rarely just about being tired. It is information. The body is telling you something before the problem gets louder.

Action

Pick one thing from the Sleep Reset below. Do it tonight. Not five things. Not a complete life overhaul. One thing you can actually keep. That is how this changes.

Protection

Better sleep touches nearly every system in your body. Heart. Hormones. Immune function. Cognition. Mood. None of them work as well as they should when sleep keeps getting shortchanged.

Tonight

Sleep Reset Plan

Do not try to fix everything tonight. That is how people quit by Wednesday. Just fix the conditions.

Woman preparing for sleep in a calm bedroom environment
1

Pick a real bedtime

Not the aspirational version. The real one. The one you can actually keep. Your body runs on rhythm. Give it one.

Bedtime tonight
Wake time tomorrow

Set an alarm on your phone with a time-sensitive reminder to stick to the plan.

2

Cut caffeine 6+ hours before bed

Coffee, energy drinks, some teas, sodas, and even chocolate all count here. Choose a cutoff today.

Caffeine cutoff today
3

Protect the last 30 minutes

No email. No news. No phone scrolling. Give your nervous system a little time to come down. Pick one thing:

4

Make the room easier to sleep in

That is the whole assignment. Simple, yes. But many bedrooms are missing at least one of those.

CoolDarkQuietBoring
5

Stop negotiating with the clock

If you wake up at 3am, try not to start doing the math. Your job is not to force sleep. Your job is to give your body the conditions that let sleep return on its own.

A Routine Helps, But Not Always

When to Get Help

A better routine can help a lot. But not every sleep problem is a routine problem. Talk with a healthcare provider or sleep specialist if you:

Snore loudly or wake up gasping or choking
Feel very sleepy during the day or fall asleep without meaning to
Have insomnia several nights a week
Wake with headaches, dry mouth, or heart palpitations
Feel your mood, work, relationships, or safety are being affected
Rely on alcohol, cannabis, sleep aids, or medication to sleep
Have a medical condition that may be affecting your sleep

Do not guess at this for years. Get the right information.

What Happens Next

Start With Tonight

Pick one reset step from this guide and do it before bed. Over the next few days, I'll send you the 5-Day Sleep Reset by email. Five short emails. One idea each day. One practical thing to try that night. Nothing overwhelming. Nothing complicated for the sake of sounding smart.

If this checkup felt familiar, pay attention to that.

Your body may have been asking for better sleep for a long time.

If You Recognized Yourself in This Checkup
The Up & Die Series Sleep Deprivation book cover by Dr. Jerome Puryear

The Up & Die Series Sleep Deprivation

The Science and Survival Guide to Better Sleep

If you recognized yourself anywhere in this checkup, don't stop here. The checklist tells you that something may be off. The book helps you understand why — and what to do next.

Available August 31st
Buy on Amazon
Sleep Book QR Code

Wishing you deep rest and renewed strength,

Jerome Puryear, MD

Awareness is leverage. Action is protection. Longevity is earned.