The Pineal Gland: Your Brain's Master Clock and Melatonin Factory
How Does Your Pineal Gland Control Sleep and Seasonal Rhythms?
The pineal gland, a small pea-sized structure in the center of your brain, serves as your body’s master timekeeper by converting serotonin into melatonin in response to darkness. This tiny gland receives light information through a complex neural pathway and secretes melatonin only during dark periods, effectively translating environmental light cycles into hormonal signals that regulate sleep, circadian rhythms, and seasonal physiology.