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Adenosine Sleep Pressure

Meaning

This physiological mechanism refers to the homeostatic drive for sleep, which is directly proportional to the accumulation of the neuromodulator adenosine in the brain’s extracellular space during wakefulness. Increased adenosine levels signal a state of energy deficit, effectively creating a quantifiable “pressure” or need for sleep. The concentration of this purine nucleoside acts as a primary biochemical indicator for the duration and intensity of prior wakefulness. Adequate sleep is essential for the metabolic clearance of this accumulated adenosine, resetting the sleep drive for the next cycle.