CEREBROSPINALECTOMY
There's a clump of about 20,000 neurons just above your eyes running a clock you cannot turn off.
The suprachiasmatic nucleus. Jet lag is just those cells refusing to accept your travel plans.
Save this for the next time someone brags they 'don't really need sleep.'
EXPLAINED (ACCURACY-CHECKED)
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, sitting just above the optic chiasm and containing roughly 20,000 neurons, is the body's master circadian pacemaker. It is entrained to the light-dark cycle via direct input from the retina and governs sleep-wake and other daily rhythms; jet lag reflects the lag between the SCN's rhythm and a new time zone.
Established (SCN ~20k neurons, above optic chiasm, master circadian pacemaker, retinal entrainment). Textbook-level.
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