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Sleep is controlled by the body in 2 ways:
Sleep pressure is the body's strong push towards sleep. Sleep pressure is highest at night and makes it hard to stay awake. Adenosine is a substance in the body that helps with sleep pressure by binding to special receptors.
Having naps can delay sleep pressure, which might make people go to bed later, have trouble falling asleep, and have trouble staying asleep. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, which can also affect sleep pressure. In the next section, you’ll learn about naps and about how to manage caffeine.
Circadian rhythms help control sleeping and waking. The brain’s “biological clock” drives these rhythms. The clock has nerves that connect to the eyes and, through connections in the brain and spinal cord, to a gland in the brain that releases melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is released at night and brings on sleep. The highest amount is released around midnight.
If it's light where people are sleeping, melatonin can decrease and sleep may be affected.
