AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -External factors, such as what we eat and drink, the medications we take, and the environment in which we sleep can also greatly affect the quantity and quality of our sleep. In general, all of these factors tend to increase the number of awakenings and limit the depth of sleep.

Detailed explanation-2: -But when darkness comes at night, the SCN sends messages to the pineal gland. This gland triggers the release of the chemical melatonin. Melatonin makes you feel sleepy and ready for bed.

Detailed explanation-3: -The SCN is the body’s master clock. The timing of transitions between sleep and wakefulness are also tied closely to the body’s internal biological clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Detailed explanation-4: -Melanopsin is a short-wavelength-sensitive pigment with a peak spectral sensitivity near around 480 nm [4], rendering some RGCs intrinsically photosensitive [79]. These intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are thought to mediate most effects of light on the circadian clock.