Reality checks aren’t magic.
They’re habits that follow you into dreams.

A reality check is a small test you do to see if you’re awake or dreaming. If you practice them in daily life, you’re more likely to do them in a dream—and that’s how a lot of lucid dreams start.

Daily practice, not instant results

Best with a dream journal

Works even with minimal “belief”

The trick is doing them seriously, not as a joke. Your brain won’t import habits you half-ass.

Reality checks

Simple checks that actually work in dreams

You don’t need a long list. Pick 2–3 and train them consistently.

Finger through palm

Press one finger of your right hand into the palm of your left.
In waking life, it feels normal: solid meeting solid.
In dreams, it might pass through, bend oddly, or feel “wrong.”

While you do it, really ask yourself: “Is this a dream?”

Text / clock check

Look at text (a sign, your phone, a poster) or a digital clock.
Look away for a second, then look back.
In dreams, text and numbers often change, scramble, or blur.

If it changes in a weird way, that’s a big cue you’re in a dream.

Nose pinch & breathe

Pinch your nose shut with your fingers.
Try to breathe in through your nose.
In waking life: no air. In dreams: you can usually still breathe.

Light switch check

This one is less reliable but still common:

Flip a light switch.
In waking life, lights react normally.
In dreams, lights often don’t respond or behave strangely.

Dream signs

Your brain’s favorite “tells” that you’re dreaming

Dream signs are recurring themes, places, people, or glitches that scream “this is a dream” once you learn to pay attention.

Types of dream signs

Places: old schools, childhood homes, strange mashup buildings.
People: exes, celebrities, people who passed away.
Body glitches: can’t run, can’t shout, floaty walking.
Tech glitches: phones not working, wrong apps, broken cars.

How to find yours

Read back through your dream journal once a week.
Underline recurring places, people, and events.
Make a short list: “Top 3 things that show up in my dreams a lot.”

Those are your personal dream signs. They matter more than any generic symbol list.

Putting it together

Training a reflex that can fire in dreams

You want “see dream sign → do reality check → realize it’s a dream” to become automatic.

Daytime training

Pick a few triggers: doors, mirrors, checking your phone.
Every time they happen, pause and do your chosen reality check.
Don’t just go through the motions—really question reality for 2–3 seconds.

Dream sign contracts

Pick 1–3 top dream signs from your journal.
Tell yourself: “If I’m ever in [old school], I will do a reality check.”
Repeat those “contracts” before bed now and then.

You’re planting if-this-then-that rules your brain can trigger mid-dream.

If you already struggle with feeling detached from reality or have psychosis/dissociation issues, be careful with intense “Am I dreaming?” work. In that case, talk to a mental health professional before going hard with reality checks.