Reality Checks
Reality checks work when they’re mindful and habitual—you’re training the question “Am I dreaming?” to show up inside dreams.
The best reality checks
Nose pinch test
Pinch your nose shut and try to breathe. In dreams, you often can still breathe.
Text test
Read a line of text, look away, then read it again. In dreams, text often changes or becomes unstable.
Finger-through-palm test (use gently)
Press a finger into your opposite palm and expect it to pass through. In dreams, expectation can make it happen.
When to do them
- When you notice a dream sign in waking life (déjà vu, something “off”)
- After walking through a doorway
- When you check the time
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