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feel very tired even after nine hours of sleep. One thing sleep research certainly has shown is that sleeping too little can not only inhibit productivity due to decreased ability to pay attention and ability to remember and consolidate information, and lack of sleep can also lead to serious health consequences. On the other hand, some research has found that long sleep durations (nine hours or more) are also associated with increased morbidity (illness, accidents) and mortality (death). Jain monks do not take midday siesta. Daytime sleepiness is often characterized a general lack of energy, even after apparently adequate night time sleep.
One needs to pay more attention to his body when he is not in motion. Jain monks sleep on back on a hard bed/floor. Sleeping on back is considered difficult. Many people cannot sleep straight. Sleeping on a hard surface provides just the right amount of resistance body needs for proper alignment, optimal breathing and healthy circulation and has the added benefit of increasing circulation and oxygen to the brain. Sleeping on a hard surface will align the spine and help the growth hormone, produced in the pituitary gland and distributed throughout the body, travel through the body unimpeded. Sleeping on a hard surface on the back helps avoid wrinkles.
According to the doctrine of karma, the rising of intuition-deluding karma is the cause of sleep. Sleep is regarded one of basic instincts. Mahavira proved that by constant awakening of conscience through meditation and bodily changes one can conquer it. Mahavira did not care for sleep for the sake of pleasure and slept only for short hours. During a long period of 12 and half years of his devotion for search of
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