slowing breathing for WILD

when people say to slow your breath… i cant do that… i dont know if there is a difference between normal breathing, or longer, deeper breaths

when i stop normal breathing, i cant take shorter breaths… its more like a really slow but still large inhale and exhale, like full lung capacity… and when i do this i can’t quite get all the way asleep.

and what is the difference between mild and wild?

Definitions of both MILD and WILD here.

Indepth on MILD and WILD here and here, respectively.

There are breathing techniques that have you breathing to a certain rhythm, such as 4:3. Where you inhale for the count or 4, hold for the count of 3, and exhale for the count of 4.

I think what you should do first is just concentrate on your breathing as you lay in bed. Breathe normally and in your mind focus on your belly as it rises when you inhale, and lowers when you exhale. Do this at the same time you lightly concentrate on your breathing. As you do this you will eventually find your breathing starts to slow down naturally. You will then feel more realxed and ready to sleep.

Hope this helps :smile:

I have just always found the my breath slows naturally as I get closer to sleep, I don’t think there is any strict form of technique to use, but it will probably help.

yeah thanks alot guess i see what you mean the 4:3 thing that helped alot

should i WILD before bed or when i wake up to go back to bed?
i find it inneffective and much more difficult to do it right before bed in the night…
i can sit there perfectly still trying to make images in my head breathing very slowly and my whole body feels numb and almost paralyzed. i have some sort of images but when i realize i am having these images i snap out and am aware of my worldly body… that happens in a cycle forever until i give up… for some reason i cannot stay in the dreamworld or hypnagogic stage or whatever.

WILD is considered much easier to do if you use it in conjunction with WBTB. I believe it is still possible in the evening, but it will be much harder. If WBTB is not an option the next best thing would be to try it in afternoon naps.

You don’t even have to slow your breathing. Just do whatever you are comftorble with and stick with it. Most people slow there breathing just because it helps them relax more.

I wouldn’t worry too much about breathing. Perhaps just a few deep long breaths to relax you, and then just forget about it, because your body knows how to breathe for you to sleep.