5 Consecutive False Awakenings

**Plex** · 04-05-2011 07:39 PM

I've been reading around and found that False Awakenings can in fact me one of the best ways to invoke a Lucid Dream. I was pretty happy about this because I have them all the time, last night I had 5 in a row.

The problem is, when I have a false awakening it feels very real and it almost indistinguishable from real life. I'm guessing this is because it is always very dark so the level of detail in the surroundings is already quite low. I'm pretty sure if I actually got out of bed (which is when I perform an RC) I would notice that is was a dream. The trouble is that I just stare at my digital clock to note the time and then go straight back to sleep. I know a good reality check is to look at a clock, look away and then see if the time is the same. This reality check is usually useless for me though as even in the dream it stays the same. I only realize it was a false awakening when I wake up for real and realize that the time displayed on the clock was actually going backwards or that the series of times I remembered didn't fit chronologically.

So what I want to know is, are there any other types of RC that require very little effort and can be performed in bed? Or is there some other method to combat this?

**Vertebrate** · 04-05-2011 09:36 PM

Well, if you do it correctly, the Nose Pinch is quick and works 99.9% of the time. To do the "nose pinch" you just pinch your nose so no air can get through and then try to breathe through your nose. In a dream you will feel the air going through your nose and you can breathe. In real life you just can't breathe!

When you're half asleep it's easy to half-pinch your nose and be able to breathe, so don't jump out a window or anything. Make sure you have a firm grip.

The key to the clock RC is to expect that it will change. Visualize it showing something different and then look again. I've never tried any text-based RCs but I know that in a dream text doesn't change every single time you look away, but I have seen weirder things change.

**DreamerStatus** · 04-06-2011 04:22 AM

Whenever you wake up no matter what, get in the habit of pinching your nose and attempting to breath through. When it becomes a habit you will do it during the FA

**StonedApe** · 04-06-2011 06:13 AM

I always forget to do one till I stand up, but I usually do the finger through your hand one or flick on a light. I've heard of people taping a sign to the ceiling that says reality check, pretty good idea but I've never treid it.