Lucid Dream Hub

Reality Checks

What are the chances that you are dreaming RIGHT NOW. I know it seems like a stretch, but seriously. How do you know? How would you check? 

Dreams can be seriously weird. But even given this fact, we normally accept our dreams at face value, never once questioning the bizarre circumstances. But this isn’t your fault. During REM sleep, the parts of our brain responsible for critical thinking (primarily the prefrontal cortex) are largely inactive. But what if there was a way to train your brain to be more critically aware, even during the dream state?

Good news for you, there is a way! It is called Reality Checking. A reality check is a test, or series of tests, to determine whether you are awake or in the dream state. The tests involve performing certain actions that produce consistent and ‘realistic’ results when you are awake, but produce ‘unrealistic’ or ‘impossible results in the dream world. For example, trying to fly. If you jump into the air and try to fly while you are awake, gravity will kick in and you will return to Earth every time. In the dreamworld, if you jump into the air and try to fly, chances are you will fly! Or at least float…

But how does this help you to induce lucid dreams? Well the theory is that if you perform consistent reality checks DURING THE DAY, this lucid mindset will be repeated at night when you are dreaming, inducing a lucid dream. Our dreams often reflect events or states of mind that occur regularly during the day (how many times have you dreamt of being at work or school?). So if we fill our day with thorough and sincere reality checks, we will eventually begin to do this in our dreams.  

How to Perform a Reality Check Correctly

Follow these guidelines to ensure you are performing reality checks in a way that will induce lucid dreams

1. Sincerely try to find out if you are dreaming – Do NOT just assume “well duh, of course I am awake”. It is easy to perform a reality check on autopilot just to get it over with. But if you indulge in this naughty habit, you will lazily perform a reality check during a dream and miss out on a chance to become lucid. It doesn’t take long, just take 20 to 30 seconds to sincerely ask and find out if you are dreaming
2. Expect the reality check to fail – the dream world reacts to your expectations. If you expect to fly, you will fly. If you expect to see your best friend around the corner, they will be there. You get the point. For a reality check to be effective, you need to expect your test to fail. For example, if you choose the “finger through the palm” test (see below), you need to perform this test and EXPECT your finger to pass through your palm. If you use the text test, look away from the text, look back at it and EXPECT the text to be different. 
3. Critically assess your surroundings – Take a moment to look around you. Does everything make sense? Are the laws of physics behaving normally? Inspect your surroundings for any dream signs. How is your memory? Can you remember what you were doing a couple hours ago? 
4. Perform at least two tests – Dreams can be convincingly real, and it is possible that you may get a false-negative when performing a reality check. Always perform at least two tests to be doubly sure that you are awake and not in the dream world. 

Most Reliable Reality Check Tests

Not all reality checks are created equal! Below is a list of the most reliable tests and how to perform them

1. Nose-Pinch – Use your fingers to pinch your nose shut. Now try to breathe through your closed nostrils. Expect to be able to. If you can breathe through your fingers, you are dreaming!
2. Text Test – Find some text in a book or a sign and read it. Now look away. Look back at the text expecting the text to be different. If the text is different, you are dreaming!
3. Time Test – Look at a digital watch or clock (or phone). Now look away. Look back at the time and expect the time to be different. If the time is different, you are dreaming! 
4. Try to fly – This may look funny so make sure you are alone…use your will and expectation to try and float off the ground. If it works, you are dreaming (or a superhero)
5. Finger through the palm test – This is simple. Use your finger and try to push it through your palm. Expect to be able to do it. If it works, you are dreaming!

When to Perform a Reality Check

In order for reality checks to really sink into your subconscious brain, you should perform reality checks consistently. Consider performing reality checks at the following times:

1. When you feel strong emotions – Dreams are often very emotionally charged. So during the day, perform a reality check whenever you feel any strong emotion, such as fear, happiness, or anger. 
2. When something strange happens – If you observe anything out of the ordinary, perform a thorough reality check. This will train your mind to look out for strange occurrences. 
3. When you notice a dream sign – Dream signs are any indicator that you are dreaming. If you record your dreams consistently, you will begin to notice your own personal dream signs, or dream signs that recur frequently in your dreams. These can be anything from common locations, people, or scenarios. If you encounter any of these things during the day, perform a reality check. 
4. 10 – 15 times per day – Perform a reality check at any of the above times, or just randomly throughout the day 10 – 15 times. It only takes a moment to do. 

Cultivating a Lucid Mindset

If you perform consistent, thorough reality checks, this lucid mindset will make its way into your dreaming brain, in time. Combining reality checks, analyzing your dreams for dream signs, and other daytime exercises, like meditation or prospective memory training, will go a long way in improving your lucid dream practice. You will begin to notice seemingly spontaneous lucid dreams as you train your brain to be more aware of your dream state. 

Lucid Dreaming is a Learnable Skill

Does this sound amazing to you? The good news is, you too can learn to lucid dream! Lucid dreaming is a learnable skill that is accessible to everybody…and it is relatively easy.  Enroll in our Lucid Dreaming Mastery Course to learn more amazing techniques like this and build a lucid dreaming practice that leads to mastery!