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Sleep Homeostasis

Meaning

The physiological process that regulates the balance between the amount of sleep obtained and the duration of prior wakefulness, often referred to as Process S. This homeostatic drive ensures that a sufficient duration and depth of sleep are achieved to recover from the accumulated sleep debt incurred during waking hours. Hormonal health is deeply intertwined with this process, as many endocrine rhythms, like cortisol and growth hormone secretion, are synchronized with the sleep-wake cycle.