5 Care Tips: Pineal Gland

The pineal gland, which is about the size of a grain of rice, is located in the center of the brain (although technically it is not part of the brain). Its main function is to receive signals from the environment about the amount and quality of light so that it knows how much melatonin to produce to help us wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night. Melatonin is involved in much more than sleep, however. It plays a role in sexual development and is a strong antioxidant, among other functions.

- By Julie Peters

SLEEP WELL

You can support your pineal gland by roughly aligning your sleep/wake times with the rise and fall of the sun. If that’s not feasible (as it isn’t for many of us), invest in some blackout blinds and sleep in as dark a room as possible at night. It’s also helpful to avoid screens at night, as the light can suppress the natural melatonin production that should be happening in the later evening.

One of the pineal gland’s functions is to translate signals from the sympathetic nervous system into hormones. In so doing it connects the endocrine system to the nervous system.

2 HONOR IT