Thread: Frequency of reality checks?

Hey guys, I just wanted to know how many times a day, on average, do you do RCs? I range somewhere in the 20-30 range. Is this not enough? Too much?

that's a pretty good number. but the more you can do the better. i don't do reality checks, i just try to be constantly aware of what's happening around me. it's hard. just make sure to keep up the daily checks--even if you're not getting LDs, don't give up, because it takes time to iron that in as a full-fledged habit.

I do them whenever I see something remotely strange or out-of-sorts. If I catch something in my eye, and turn to look, but it's not there, I definitely do an RC.

I'd guess - 10 a day?

I don't even need to RC.

Originally posted by JeffreyKelly90
I don't even need to RC.

thanks for the great contribution

Originally posted by speedbasssux
Hey guys, I just wanted to know how many times a day, on average, do you do RCs? I range somewhere in the 20-30 range. Is this not enough? Too much?

Be careful not to automatically answer yourself when doing reality checks. For example - "Am I dreaming?" and immediately answer "No." Because I would think the more of these you do per day, the less you'd seriously consider the question.

I only do about 2-3 reality checks per day, but I make them count. And I usually only do it if something like a common dreamsign happens. This has triggered lucidity regularly for me.

So I think that quality over quantity would be best.

I've been trying to teach my little brother how to lucid dream. He will have one everyonce in a while but get to excited and wake up. He RC's about 10 times a day. He has had 3 in 9 days and he's getting better control in his dreams.

So I think that quality over quantity would be best. [/b]

IMO this is the key to RCs.

personally, i rarely do reality checks anymore, except when something is "off"...i mostly try to maintain awareness as much as possible.

Originally posted by wombing

So I think that quality over quantity would be best.

IMO this is the key to RCs.[/b]

I disagree. When I was dreaming actively, I used to do a lot of reality checks, mostly pinching my nose, so that it became a routine. I didn't give too much thought for them, but regardless managed to dream lucidly several nights a week. I find pinching my nose an efficient "routine RC" because it "automatically" gives the answer, and, at least for me, is very unlikely to fail.

I'm not saying you souldn't seriously consider the question: "Am I dreaming?" More I think that you can use both quality and quantity. Quality so that you can recognize dream signs already when you're dreaming, and quantity so that you can develop a routine that would carry out in your dreams too.

I only do a few RCs a day, only when something is out of place, or it just doesn't 'feel' right. It seems to work better this way than to do loads of senseless RCs. I think it is more important of the circumstances, and how much effort you put into thinking about your current situation etc, than simply the amount of RCs you do.

As to your original question, 20-30 a day seems like a substantially adequate amount. I wouldn't do any more however, since there is a risk the endless RCs would become more of a mindless boring chore than an instrument to help induce lucidity.
And a quick question- Do you do different types of RCs in a sequence, or just the one?

Originally posted by dudesuperior

And a quick question- Do you do different types of RCs in a sequence, or just the one?

I try to switch it up a lot. I'll do a reading/time check and then a flying check or an nose check. Sometimes I try to put my hand through a wall or something like that.

Thanks for all the advice. I don't think I'll keep up such a high amount of RCs. But I will increase the quality.

Well, I've been heeding the advice on fewer but more thurough RCs and last night I had three LDs! It's a load off to know that I don't have to be doing RCs every five minutes, just a few really deep ones a day.

Thanks for the help!

thanks for the great contribution [/b]

Thanks for the even better one.