As the world goes dark, this master switch tells our pineal gland to increase levels of the hormone melatonin in the bloodstream, sort of like a chemical lullaby.
As you go to sleep and finally begin to drift off, melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland which begins the sleep cycle, which happens multiple times through the night.
These cells are found in glands, like the supratentorial pineal gland which is located just behind the third ventricle, or the infratentorial pituitary gland located near the front of the third ventricle.