Trouble breathing during relaxation phase

[Lavidu]

Just some info about me, I'm completely new to WILD and I have never been able to achieve it successfully. One time in high school, 2-3 yrs ago, I remember taking a nap in the afternoon and being able to see moving lights and images, though i couldn't make out what it is. Then I got freaked out and woke up a few mins after. I didn't know what it was then but I'm sure now that I was in the transitional phase of WILD. Anyways, now that I'm attempting WILD for real, during this relaxation phase, I'm just laying down on my bed, albeit a little uncomfortable from the temperature ( a little too warm sometimes), but it is a pretty comfortable position. I'm laying facing upward, which is a position I never try to sleep in, but it is the same position that I discovered my first WILD transitional experience. I mostly sleep sideways, but when i try to WILD while sleeping sideways I find that I always fall into a deep sleep instead, somehow my mind just go blank after 1 or 2 minutes while lying sideways. Anyways, at first, my breathing is normal, then after thinking over some stuff to help my mind relax and trick my body, i HAVE to start paying attention to my breathing. I realize that while thinking, or relaxing, I stopped breathing or somehow the amount I inhale is less than when I exhale. So i have to manually breath in and breath out, but the amount of air i inhale is still less. The worst part comes next when my body start to itch in various places, small itches but it is annoying trying to refrain from moving and controlling your breath at the same time. The more I pay attention to it, the bigger the breath I have to take. It's like air is entering but very little of it is being used and I have to take really big breaths and really quickly too. But it gets to a point where basically I have to take full breath in order to feel like I'm breathing properly and at this point my body is no longer relaxed, my chest is heaving up and down due to the big breaths that I'm taking and I have to move my body and start all over again. Anyone ever run into this problem of having trouble breathing normally? Is this normal? If so how can i control it so it doesn't disrupt my relaxation phase? Is this because I sleep facing upward? Should I try to sleep sideways?

[hgld1234]

Your body is testing your mind with those itches. Ignore them. Your body will probably yell 'SCRATCH!' Ignore. It may hurt. Ignore. After a few seconds this will stop. You will enter SP. With the breathing, I get them too sometimes, espically when on my back. I find that noticing them, but not breathing in more, is best. But it can be hard. I think that it's natural though, you are probably not suffocating. That feeling will disappear too after a few seconds. If it becomes unbearable, breath in deeply, but that will take you out of SP.

[Robot_Butler]

You can't force yourself to relax, or trick yourself into falling asleep. WILD in a comfortable position. If you feel the need to roll over, go ahead and do it. If you have a tickle on your nose, scratch it, then forget about it. Don't fidget unnecessarily, but there is no need to suffer. I can't WILD on my back anymore. I can't even sleep on my back anymore. Like you, I have a hard time breathing in that position. I feel like my chest is too heavy, and I have to use a lot of muscle power to get a good deep breath. I will sometimes start out on my back until I get focused, but I always roll onto my side before any intense WILD shenanigans.

[horsey101]

I have the breathing problem too, I feel like I'm hyperventilating. I've heard sleeping on your front helps, as does not thinking about your breathing and focusing instead on the HI/light patterns.

[Lavidu]

Hi guys, last night I took another attempt at WILD, this time on my back still. I have kind of figured out a way to fix the breathing problem. I have found that when you DO have to focus on breathing, only focus on the exhaling part, feel the air on your nostrils as it exit. However, when you breath in, try to take the slowest breath as possible, so that you don't feel anything in your nose. I found that by doing this, i don't have the heaving problem anymore. Also, as for the itches and stuff, I find them annoying but tolerable, I can usually lie there for 15 mins before I have to scratch but by that time I will have probably fallen asleep. Anyways, this WILD attempt was unsuccessful because I couldn't keep my mind conscious which is my own problem that I need to work on. This post is just me giving you guys an update on the breathing problem, which I believe I have found the solution to, although I need to try it again tonight. P.S: it wasn't a total failure, I was dreaming, but not lucid