This list of 25 simple, yet effective reality check techniques will help you distinguish between dream and reality.
By incorporating reality checks into your daily routine and practicing them regularly, you can significantly boost your chances of experiencing lucid dreams.
Whether you’re just getting started or already are an experienced lucid dreamer, these reality checks will help you become lucid more often.
| # | Method | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finger Counting | Count your fingers; in dreams, the count often changes or your fingers may appear distorted. |
| 2 | Nose Pinch | Pinch your nose and try to breathe through it; if successful, you may be dreaming. |
| 3 | Light Switch | Attempt to turn a light switch on or off; the results can be unpredictable in a dream. |
| 4 | Digital Watch | Look at a digital watch or clock; the time is likely to change or appear nonsensical in a dream. |
| 5 | Mirrors | Gaze into a mirror; your reflection may behave strangely or look distorted in a dream. |
| 6 | Hand Reality Check | Examine the details on your hand, like lines and wrinkles; they may not be consistent in a dream. |
| 7 | Reading Text | Try to read a book or text; the words often change or make no sense in a dream. |
| 8 | Jumping | Attempt to jump; you may experience unusual gravity or float in a dream. |
| 9 | Reality Totem | Carry a small object with you during the day, like a coin, and check it frequently; in a dream, it may change shape or form. |
| 10 | Finger Through Palm | Poke a finger through your opposite hand; in a dream, your hand may not feel solid. |
| 11 | Time Awareness | Look at a clock, look away, and then check the time again; it may change rapidly in a dream. |
| 12 | Pinch Pain | Pinch yourself gently; you may not feel pain in a dream. |
| 13 | Tonal Sound | Listen to background sounds; in a dream, they may be distorted or unusual. |
| 14 | Gravity Check | Pay attention to how you feel gravity; in a dream, it may vary or disappear. |
| 15 | All-Day Awareness | Continuously question reality throughout the day; this habit may carry over into your dreams. |
| 16 | Reality Affirmations | Repeatedly tell yourself, “Am I dreaming?” during the day and genuinely consider the question. |
| 17 | Breathing Hands | Observe your hands while breathing; in a dream, they might move strangely as you breathe. |
| 18 | Double Check | When something unusual happens, ask yourself if you are dreaming and perform a reality check. |
| 19 | Random Text | Read text, look away, and then read it again; the text may change or become unreadable in a dream. |
| 20 | Visual Stability | Focus on an object and ensure it remains stable; in a dream, objects may shift or morph. |
| 21 | Light Intensity | Pay attention to the lighting; it can change abruptly in a dream. |
| 22 | Dream Signs | Identify recurring elements or themes in your dreams and use them as cues to question reality. |
| 23 | Hands Clap | Try to clap your hands; they may not make a sound in a dream. |
| 24 | Speech Check | Listen to your speech; you may have trouble speaking clearly in a dream. |
| 25 | Critical Reflection | Frequently analyze your surroundings, asking if they make sense, even during ordinary activities. |
5 tips on when to perform your reality check methods
If you perform your reality checking after or before a frequently occurring event or action the chances that you will end up doing it in your dreams will increase.
Here are 5 tips on events that I’ve used, and use as cues to do my reality checks:
1. When meeting someone new
Dreams often feature persons or characters that you haven’t met or interacted with in real life. Therefore it is a great cue for reality checks, increasing the likelihood of it occurring in dreams.
2. When entering a new location
When I first started with reality checking I used to do the Finger Counting method whenever I passed through a doorpost. Let’s just say that it ended up being a bit too frequent.. I still perform reality checking, but nowadays only when entering a new or odd location.
3. When seeing or experiencing something odd
Dreams are odd, that’s one of the reasons why they are so fun to explore and understand. Reality does not offer up as many weird, or odd situations as the dream world does – but when it does I always use the opportunity to check my reality.
💡 A tip from Lucy
With time and commitment you can program your brain into questioning reality whenever something seems unreal. Just stick with it!
4. When experiencing strong emotions
Much like the previous case, emotions generally feel stronger in dreams. So take the opportunity to question your reality when your emotions hit unusual highs or lows.
5. Directly after waking up
I usually spend my mornings recalling my dreams, but before leaving my bed I always perform a combination of the Finger Counting and Hand Reality Check. This highly effective cue for reality checking stems from my dream journaling, where I quickly learnt that my dreams often start with me waking up, through so called “False Awakenings“.
