Each of us has a biological clock keeping track of where we are in our 24-hour day and making time-of-day-appropriate adjustments to the brain and body. We refer to these automatic adjustments as "circadian" rhythms—these rhythms play a crucial role in regulating essential functions, especially sleep-wake cycles, which are influenced significantly by our body's master clock located in the hypothalamus. This clock helps synchronize our internal processes to the external environment.
The brain's hypothalamus functions like a control center, receiving inputs directly from our eyes to set our daily cycle at roughly 24 hours. It signals the pineal gland to release melatonin, a chemical that induces sleep, at approximately the same time each night. As darkness falls, melatonin levels rise, peaking during the night to facilitate deep sleep, then tapering off towards the morning, allowing the body to awaken naturally with the arrival of daylight.
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