How To Use Reality Checks To Become Lucid in a Dream

If you are hoping to learn how to lucid dream, you first need to act as if it is always possible you are dreaming unless you can prove otherwise. Luckily there are many little tricks you can learn to help you test your reality. These tests are known as reality checks. Familiarise yourself with these most common ones and pick the ones you like best. Experiment until you find your favourite and this is what you will be using to test your reality from here on out.

• Look at your hands! This is my personal favourite as it's quick, easy and reliable as your hands are always nearby. It is also pretty discreet too which is always a bonus. Just take a look at your hands and ask yourself if there is anything odd or different. In a dream your hands usually have more or less fingers than normal. Sometimes the fingers may be distorted in an odd way, they may be transparent or blurry and if you try to, you could push your finger through your opposite palm. If you notice any of these things then you will know you are in a dream.
• Look at your reflection in a mirror. Do you look normal? Is your reflection behaving as you would expect? If not then you will know you are dreaming.
• Try to read a line of text and then look away for a moment. If the text has changed when you look back then this is another strong indicator that you are dreaming.
• Look at a clock - is the time reasonable? Does it change after you look away for a moment? 
• Try to do some maths! It's usually very difficult in a dream.
• Do you have any special abilities? Can you fly, teleport, breathe under water, or breathe whilst holding your nose? If you can do any of these things then you know you are dreaming!

How To Perform a Reality Check

You will need to perform your chosen reality check multiple times throughout the day. The more, the better but aim for at least 10 in any 24 hour period. Perform one whenever you see one of your dream signs, whenever you notice anything strange, or any other time you remember. It is always a good idea to check as soon as you wake up to avoid false awakenings and whenever you see or hear something you think is odd or confusing. Really ask yourself, 'Could I be dreaming?' as you perform one and DO NOT move on unless you are 100% convinced either way. 

Take it seriously because how you react in the waking world is the same as how you will react when you're dreaming!

Eventually you will be so used to performing reality checks that it will become second nature. When this happens you are likely to begin doing them in your dreams because anything we do habitually in the waking world, we are likely to do in the dreaming world too. 

Think of reality checking as the key to the lucid world. Once you perform a reality check from within a dream then you have unlocked the door to lucidity. You will realise you are actually inside your own mind and are now able to take control and do anything you can imagine. You will be fully aware that your real body is lying asleep in your bed but you will be free to fly, teleport, time travel... anything you can imagine.