How does melatonin production work?

Melatonin is like a sleepy signal your body sends out when it’s time to rest.

Imagine your body has a special clock inside it, kind of like a tiny alarm clock that tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. This clock is called the circadian rhythm, and it's helped by a little helper called the pineal gland, which lives in your brain.

When it gets dark outside, your eyes tell your brain, “It’s nighttime!” Then your brain says to the pineal gland, “Time to make melatonin!” The pineal gland starts making this special sleepy chemical, and it goes into your blood. That makes you feel tired, just like when you’re ready for bed.

When it gets light in the morning, your eyes say, “It’s daytime!” Your brain tells the pineal gland to stop making melatonin, so you start feeling more awake.

If you stay up late with a bright screen (like on your phone or tablet), it can confuse your body's clock, it thinks it's still day time, and doesn’t want to make melatonin. That’s why sometimes you feel sleepy during the day if you didn’t get enough sleep at night!