What is "sleep homeostasis"?

What is "sleep homeostasis"?

Gary Feldman (Medical Director, Stramski Disorders Center, Miller Children's Hospital ) gives expert video advice on: What are the benefits of sleep for children?; What is a normal sleep pattern?; How much sleep does my child need every day? and more...

Sleep homeostasis is best explained like this: Besides that internal clock (our day-night Circadian rhythmic clock that helps us regulate our sleep cycle), we also have sleep homeostasis which is like a "sleep drive."During the day, as you progress during the day, you accumulate an increasing need to sleep so that by the time nightfall comes and your body starts to produce a particular hormone called melatonin, which is your sleep hormone, you have developed sufficient sleep drive and need to sleep at that time, which will then make you feel sleepy so that you fall asleep. That is homeostasis.