The Clock Inside You

Deep in your brain, a cluster of about 20,000 neurons called the suprachiasmatic nucleus acts as your master clock. This tiny structure controls your circadian rhythm, the roughly 24-hour cycle that governs when you feel alert, sleepy, hungry, and creative.

Your circadian rhythm does not just manage sleep. It controls body temperature, hormone release, cognitive performance, and even immune function throughout the day. Working against this rhythm is like swimming upstream: possible, but exhausting and inefficient.