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melatonin THE PINEAL: MEET THE SPIRIT GLAND + 63 Melatonin's full name is N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine. We can tell by its name and structure that, like DMT and 5-methoxy-DMT, melatonin is a tryptamine. We have a good understanding of how the body regulates melatonin production. It is the "hormone of darkness." Light turns off melatonin production, both during daylight hours and in the presence of artificial light during nighttime hours. The longer the nighttime dark hours, the more melatonin. The greater the daylight hours, the less melatonin. Be- sides indicating whether it is day or night, the patterns of melatonin production also inform the animal about the time of year. These longer- term melatonin effects help prepare for the appropriate seasonal responses—pregnancy in spring or fall, hibernation during the winter, or fat loss in summer. Noradrenaline and adrenaline (or norepinephrine and epinephrine) are the two neurotransmitters that turn on melatonin synthesis in the pi- neal. They are released directly onto the pineal gland by nerve cells that almost touch it. The neurotransmitters attach to specialized receptors, which then begin the chemical process of melatonin formation. The adrenal glands also make adrenaline and noradrenaline, releas- ing them into the bloodstream in response to stress. They are crucial factors