# Sleep and Dreams > Sleep and Health >  >  99 Breaths to Relief a Wandering Mind

## ninja9578

Many of us go to bed with things on our mind.  They keep us up, we toss and turn as random and some purposeful thoughts travel in and out of our mind.  Occasionally it will result in a temporary insomnia in which you find it impossible to sleep for an hour or so.  So you lay in bed, stressing out over the fact that you can't get to sleep, which only makes it worse.  The key to getting to sleep faster is to have an empty mind, or a single focus mind.  

Similar to meditation (this technique can also be used for meditation,) doing the following simple techniques will allow your mind to be cleared and your body fully relaxed.  During the process it is imperative that you not move, so find a position that is comfortable, but also allows you to take deep breaths (so anything except for on your stomach.)  I find laying on my back with my hands near my groin works the best, legs uncrossed.

You will take 99 breaths, but they are slow and deep, so it will actually take about twenty minutes.  Deep breathing deeply relaxes the body.  Why is it that smoker say that cigarettes relax them, even though nicotine is a stimulant?  It's because they are breathing deeper. 

You will count each breath.  This keeps your mind from wandering, because as you breath slowly and sink into deep relaxation, it will be difficult to count, forcing you to let go of other outside thoughts.

Now lay down and close your eyes.  I pull my covers over my head too, but that doesn't matter.  Start at 99 and breath in.  Each breath should take about five seconds in and five seconds out.  They should be full breaths, but you should not worry how long they are, as long as they are slow. Subtract a number on the exhale.

Inhale
Pause
Exhale, 99
Inhale
Pause
Exhale, 98

The pause is short, only a second or maybe even less.

96
95

Focus on your shoulders and hands letting go of tension and melting away

94
93

Now your legs and feet should let go

92
91

Focus on your breathing and counting

...

84
83

You may start to see dim swirling or tunneling colours

82
81

You may feel as if a weight is being placed over your legs and then your midsection

74
73

You may get a tingling sensation in your hands and legs
The lights may get brighter now
Focus on your breathing

65
64

You may start to loose track of your numbers
Remember to ignore outside thoughts and focus harder on the numbers

58
57

The tingling is probably gone now, but your body feels heavy
Don't move even though you may get itches on your nose and arms
Focus on long deep breaths

45
44

The swirling colours may be gone by now
Your eye may start involuntarily twitching, this is normal
Make sure the twitching doesn't cause them to open

35
34

All outside thoughts should be gone by now and counting is easier
Your body feels immensely heavy, don't move it.
Focus on your counting and breathing

20
19

Don't get excited that you're almost done
Counting down should be easy now
You may have lost feeling of your extremities

10
9

Focus on your breathing
Make sure you don't speed up your rate
Continue to sink deeper

5
4

You should see, feel, hear, think nothing

2
1

You're done and should be thoroughly relaxed and free from stray thoughts.  Now what you do is up to you.  If you were just stressed out and need to relax then I will slowly bring you back.  If you were trying to get to sleep then you can now go to sleep.  If you were trying to nap or doing this in the morning, be aware, you have been laying still and deeply meditating for close to twenty minutes, you may have entered a WILD.  Do a reality check.

*If you want to come back:*

Repeat this twice in your mind:  "On the count of five I will come back and each time I do this I will go deeper, faster."  It doesn't have to be those words, but something to that gist.  Now slowly count from one to five and open your eyes.  The first time that you try to move your body will feel heavy and go slowly.  A reality check should probably be done, as you may have fallen asleep during your meditation.

----------


## tekmo

Very interesting ninja9578, I think I'll give that a try tonight.

----------


## ThePhobiaViewed

I have read that it is indeed important to actually say to yourself and identify that you are going to come out of that state if you choose to. Something about it will help your body identify that brain state and return to it easier since it is clear cut.

----------


## DreamChaser

I have a visual use for this myself.
As we all have done, we hold a deck of cards in one hand (in your mind).
On the top of each card is a number. The top card has printed 99 on top. The card under has 98 etc.
As you flip the top card over it says " Are You Dreaming?".
(Look at the number as you are inhaling, and flip the card over and look at the message as you exhale.)
The next number you see on top of the pack is 98 and you flip it and it says the same again, "Are You Dreaming". All the cards say this on the base.
The motion and familiarity with flipping cards really helps.
Make the text colour whatever you like, and really see yourself doing it.
Also helps getting the minds eye working for the dream world.
Try it.

----------


## Tsunami

Nice, I am going to start meditating daily soon. I shall try this tonight and maybe next time I WILD.

----------


## roguext22

hm.. why from 100 to 1? ::D: 
i bet everyone relieves their wandering mind in few secs...
from 10-to 1.. or even at once.. 1  :smiley:  or its just me?

----------


## ClouD

> hm.. why from 100 to 1?
> i bet everyone relieves their wandering mind in few secs...
> from 10-to 1.. or even at once.. 1  or its just me?



If you aren't fully associated and comfortable with relaxing into semi-deep meditation, then ten breaths isn't likely gonna cut it.

----------


## Hazel

This is an interesting idea, and it is probably also very effective for WILDing, too. I'll print it out and memorize the instructions (I have a tendency to forget things like that) and try it tonight.

----------


## Emerald Wolf

Is there any importance placed on the fact that you're counting down instead of counting up from 1 to 99 or is it just preferance? (Similarly could you recite the alphabet a couple of times instead?).

Hmmmm... in fact I'm wondering about the possibility of creating any ordered set of things you could run through your mind as a means of keeping it focused.

----------


## Ynot

anyone else mis-read the title?....

----------


## ClouD

> Is there any importance placed on the fact that you're counting down instead of counting up from 1 to 99 or is it just preferance? (Similarly could you recite the alphabet a couple of times instead?).
> 
> Hmmmm... in fact I'm wondering about the possibility of creating any ordered set of things you could run through your mind as a means of keeping it focused.



This (obviously) isn't an answer from ninja. xP
..but in breathing exercises you usually count down, as it keeps you more aware than counting upwards. Also, i guess it implies getting deeper and deeper...

----------


## ninja9578

Yeah, counting down is harder than counting up so it keeps you more aware.  When you get in the low numbers you will start to mess up.  25, 24, 23, 24, 23...  and you will have to think harder to keep focused.

Ynot, were you referring to the fact that it should have been titled: "99 Breaths to *Relieve* a Wandering Mind"?  :tongue2:

----------


## Dream Boat

is this a possible technique for inducing lucid dreams (WILD)??  ::?:

----------


## ninja9578

Yep, I use it occasionally for WILDs.

----------


## dragonoverlord

brilliant thanks. I started getting sleepy just from reading it no joke, it'll work good when im trying to go to sleep.

Like onother person said this will work good for WILDING.

----------


## Falsn

I should give this a go next time I'm in bed. Thanks for the post  :smiley:

----------


## Oros

Nice. i've heard about a similar technic before, and tried it. the techic i've tried is just to count from 100 and downwards to 0 (while taking breaths). i use to fell asleep somewhere at 30. it works.

----------


## Demec

Sounds like a great technique. I'll try it tonight.  :smiley:

----------


## Sean999

I tried it last night before going to bed, and when I got to about 30, the first set of vibrations washed over me. I haven't felt those in so long!

Maybe if it was a WBTB, and maybe if my dad wasn't making so much noise doing the laundry, I probably would have WILDed.

----------


## Suze

> m.. why from 100 to 1?
> i bet everyone relieves their wandering mind in few secs...
> from 10-to 1.. or even at once.. 1  or its just me?



lol 1?
yeahhh i duno about everyone else but 1 second or 10 isn't gona cut it.
sometimes it can take me over an hour and a half to fall asleep... sometimes longer. because yeah i keep thinking about things that day or things i have to do the next day...
ive found that if i write down what i have to do the next day then tell myself now you cant think about anything on that list itll help sometimes.
ill have to try this 100 to 1 thing

----------


## Tsunami

I actually tried last night. I was using this to meditate and get to sleep. After I had finished I had felt some of the described vibrations. But I got to sleep straight away after which, after all is what I was trying to do in the first place.

----------


## hyperangel13

Wow, this sounds like it'll help me actually stop thinking before I fall asleep. Though I fear I may forget the instructions by the numbers...

Last night I tried WILD, but I couldn't get myself into a good enough position. My feet just weren't comfortable, and I was really tired and had a headache.

Tonight will be different. #u#

Question: Instead of "bringing you back", do you think you could modify the words to be like "When I count from 1 to 5, I will enter a lucid dream"? Would that work? Would it work if I was just going to bed after a long, tiring day? X'D

----------


## kingofclutch

Hmm. 20 minutes, that seems like a very long time. It kind of doesn't help then if you are trying to go to sleep fast.

----------


## Tsunami

When I did this it took just under 20 minutes. I fell asleep pretty much afterwards.

 I do not think you are supposed to think about falling asleep fast, that is why you are focusing on your breathing and counting.

----------


## ninja9578

> When I did this it took just under 20 minutes. I fell asleep pretty much afterwards.
> 
>  I do not think you are supposed to think about falling asleep fast, that is why you are focusing on your breathing and counting.



Yep, it's only designed to relax you, after you do it you can get to sleep really quickly.

----------


## hyperangel13

I tried this last night...with little success. D: 

By the time I got to 50, I really couldn't count very well...I was counting down and counting breaths, but I was focusing on my thoughts. I was also really hot, and that distracted me as well. I felt like I had to do it two times to get the desired result.

But by that time, I was too tired, distracted, and hot to try it again, so I rolled over and went to sleep. (It did help me fall asleep, but not as much as the tutorial had said.)

I'll try it again during a WBTB. It seems it'll work better then.  :smiley:

----------


## TheOneirologist

Well, this thread's been deceased for almost three years, but I have some results and questions to post.

I have had this *HUGE* lucid dream block lately (I've had a _maximum_ of 2 per month for the past 2 or 3 months), and I thought that this morning would be a nice time to try to WILD, to see if I could force a lucid dream upon myself.  I found this thread last night, so I was planning on using this technique to enter the dream state, or at least become relaxed enough to enter by other methods.  Everything started out well enough: I got up, went to the bathroom, got some water, and went back to my bed.  I blew my nose because I figured that if it was stuffy then it would interfere with the relaxed breathing.  I began to do the counting, and everything seemed to go the way it was supposed to until about 75 or so.  My arms and legs lost tension like they were supposed to, but then stuff started going wrong.  First I noticed that there was no hypnagogic imagery, no tingling, no vibrations, nothing.  I was also being constantly interrupted by my rumbling stomach.  Then, at about 60 or so, my throat started to burn.  At 50, I was literally shaking trying not to cough.  At 48, I involuntarily let out this burst of coughs and completely lost it.  After this, I got some water and decided to try again.  This time, however, my throat started burning at 90.  I kind of gave up at this point, but I couldn't even go back to sleep normally because I kept coughing, so I just got up for good.
All the coughing was probably my fault, in that I tried to do this while sick.  Hey, I'm the Desperate Dreamer. So here are my few questions: 1) Will a rumbling stomach actually disturb this process, or that of WILDing? 2) Does swallowing mess you up, or can you just let yourself swallow when the need arises? 3) Is the coughing and burning throat because I'm sick, or does it happen to others? 4) Why did only the instructions for breaths 100-80 come true for me?
Sorry for ranting, I just would really like help.

----------


## ebridge15

> Question: Instead of "bringing you back", do you think you could modify the words to be like "When I count from 1 to 5, I will enter a lucid dream"? Would that work? Would it work if I was just going to bed after a long, tiring day? X'D



i am also curious if ths would work!

----------


## ninja9578

You can try that, but it's not meant for autosuggestion, autosuggestion requires you to insert a single idea in your mind, this technique is meant to clear your mind of everything.

----------


## TheOneirologist

I'd really like to master a form of WBTB, and this looks like it might be a good way to induce a WILD.  Would this relaxation/mind-clearing technique be a reliable way to enter a WILD, if it's done right?  If it is, I'll be really thankful; mastering the WILD would allow me to get past my lucid block and to stop relying on DILDs, which rarely occur for me.

----------


## Armistice

Lately my thoughts have been so rampant, that I cant count.  My mind wanders from counting and onto other things

I assume though that your method os more of a "clearing your head" thing rather than a WILD/ WBTB, or could this be used for those also?

----------


## whiterain

i think a still mind is massively important for lucidity. ive been doing my usual trick of thinking i can read mysel to lucidity, and reading so much that when i go to bed my mind has a hell of a lot to catch up on and integrate. my dreams as a result have been rambling epics without even a minute to stop and ponder whats going on. sometimes less is definately more and methods like these are just what it takes to get back to that still mind which is invaluable. cheers

----------


## Kunal19

actually i am worried that it might lead to sleep paralysis........
and if u just wanna sleep its not a good thing lol

----------


## TheOneirologist

> actually i am worried that it might lead to sleep paralysis........
> and if u just wanna sleep its not a good thing lol



Well, don't forget that you're getting the same amount of rest whether you're lucid or not...so I'd suggest you go lucid.  ::D:

----------


## robot that is lucid

I did this, and it took 20 minutes, like you said, but none of the things you described happened to me. All that happened was I felt tired and relaxed.

----------


## Gr8God

I had to count to 5000 breaths to have an LD but it was worth it since I had my longest ld so far 1:30hr+

----------


## SlickRick

Hey ninja, thanks for this great technique, yesterday night was the first time i tried this, i have to say it scared the shit out of me when i couldn't feel my body, but my mind was still there. I had intense vibrations, all over my body, including my face. I didn't know what to expect, i didn't expect it to work. It felt literally like i was melting away as you pointed out. When i finished i couldn't sleep, even though i was telling myself to, it could be because i smoked a marijuana before i got into bed. Maybe this is why i couldn't sleep. Anyways i'm happy i got to experience somewhat of a nightmare last night. I want to keep doing this technique and learning more about sleep. Thanks again

----------


## SlickRick

Hey ninja, just wanted to say it was the first time i read and experienced this technique. At first I was kind of scared, because my whole body had intense vibrations, i couldn't even move fingers. I don't think it worked proper, i smoked marijuana before i got into bed, although i had the symptoms, i wasn't able to fall asleep after the vibrations set in. Sativa keeps me up so this is probably why. I will try again tonight, i will not smoke marijuana all day. I was wondering also, if you knew how to get an out of body experience, relating to the sleep paralysis. Thanks again, this technique really opened my eyes to believe in methods of meditation. P.S This is my second attempt on writing a short response to your thread, the first time i don't think it went through.

----------


## ooflendoodle

I'm going to pee then try this I'm so tired. G'night

----------


## TheOneirologist

> I will try again tonight, i will not smoke marijuana all day.



I don't think you should be smoking marijuana all day in the first place...  ::shock::

----------


## SlickRick

I personally don't think it's any of your business, it doesn't kill so why not? keeps me sane, and i hate pills approved by the FDA, i kinda don't trust aliens, need more info??  i'm sure this was a topic about 99 Breaths to Relief a Wandering Mind, lets talk about it.

----------


## TheOneirologist

I could talk my case for hours, but I'll respect your wishes and not say anything.  Good luck on going lucid!

----------


## Ikkalebob

Brilliant! I've tried this the last couple of nights and it didn't go quite to plan, every time I've had a really bad itch or something and had to stop. What would be the best course of action if you have to move? Also I noticed that when you have been doing it for a while or you finish and abruptly open your eyes, the hum in the back of your head suddenly gets to a higher frequency. Is that a good thing?
Aside all that, I'm sure that it would work brilliantly if I got it right  :smiley: .

----------


## Mancon

Thanks for this, good guide.

----------


## Morten

This is a really good guide! It has helped me three nights in a row, and it lead to SP twice. This could be a really good way to induce a WILD. Thanks ninja.  :smiley:

----------


## ninja9578

Glad you guys are enjoying my technique  :smiley:

----------


## DreamingGhost

I've been doing something similar every night in bed for a few weeks now due to the fact I have a hard time getting to sleep. I always focus more on the counting to keep my mind on track. I will inhale and say the number then while exhaling I will say I am dreaming. I find on most nights while doing this I do not remember counting past 80m but I still like to start at 99 as I gives me a lot of numbers to go through. Hubs has told me more then once I have been asleep before him which is awesome and has never happened before without sleeping pills.

I also think this has lead to a few WILD/DILDs for me.  :smiley: 

DG ::jester::

----------


## vit3L

I tried this last night, I couldn't really feel anything until the end, within the last 20 counts,  I couldn't feel my body and I didn't want to try move just in case of sleep paralysis haha.

Then within the last 10-5 counts I could feel myself drifting off, my eyes were twitching intensely and I could see gray swirling things etc.
I got to 1 and I felt as though I was almost about to become unconscious or go into a WILD, except I just couldn't get there, I kept my breathing the same as it was with the counting, but I didn't have anymore numbers to count.
Everything was very intense.

Was I close to having a WILD?

This technique is awesome, I'm going to try again tonight because I can definitely tell it works, practice makes perfect.

----------


## ninja9578

Well, if you were doing it when first going to sleep then you can't WILD because you don't dream then.

I'm not entirely surprised that at 1 you felt a sudden change.  It's similar to hypnosis, where you don't feel anything until the end of the count, even though you are going under the whole time you only become very aware of it at the end.

----------


## tehmuffinman

Best relaxation method I've ever tried. Although I modified it a bit, counting up to 99 and I was laying on the floor with my legs vertically against a wall. After about 30 breaths I got something I haven't before with relaxation but I think it is a good thing: it appeared as though there was a very bright light beyond my eyelids like you described and I barely managed to keep my eyes closed because I knew the only light in my room was a very dim lamp. I've also taken an interest in astral projection recently and decided to use this chance to give it a go (realized it wasn't a great idea soon after because of the odd position I was in) and tried to lift out my "other" arms, resulting in a temporary pins-and-needles feeling throughout my upper body, mostly in the arms. Not sure if it was something relevant or just the tingling sensation you mentioned from the relaxation. Thanks for this ninja!  :smiley:

----------


## ninja9578

Glad you like it

----------

