The command and control center of your subconscious brain is your hypothalamus gland. This gland regulates wakefulness and sleep, based on a variety of factors. Like any company, your hypothalamus gland has different departments. Your wakefulness department resides in the rear (posterior hypothalamus) and communicates directly to other primary brain structures that regulate wakefulness (basal forebrain and brain stem).

Your sleep department resides towards the front (anterior hypothalamus) and is composed of nerve cells that rely on GABA and glycine in order to function properly. Both your sleeping and waking departments have ...