False awakenings occur when a dreamer dreams about waking up in the morning. This is such a natural and common occurrence that it is difficult to realize it is just a dream. Some people wake up in dreams, get dressed, eat breakfast and start their journey to work before realizing it is just a dream!
False awakenings are more common when a person is excited or nervous about the day ahead. They may plan the events of the day as they fall asleep, weighing it more heavily on the unconscious mind. It is therefore unsurprising when they dream of waking up and going about their big day.
Multiple False Awakenings
Usually, when the conditions for false awakenings are right, a person is more likely to have multiple false awakenings. This is also known as a dream within a dream. As soon as they realize they are dreaming, they appear to wake up, but in fact are just doing the same dream over. The only way to know if a dream is occurring is to perform a few reality checks upon waking. This is one of the core lucid dreaming techniques, described below.
Multiple false awakenings are used to great effect in movies. It is not uncommon for the victim of a horror movie to dream a horrific scene thinking it is real, before waking up and dreaming the same scene again. This may also be the inspiration for the classic comedy movie, Groundhog Day, in which a weatherman is forced to re-live the same awful day of his life, over and over again.
False Awakenings and Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreamers are in the habit of testing their reality throughout that waking day. This means asking an obvious question, or trying to do something impossible. The aim is to trigger reality checks in dreams. Good reality checks for lucid dreaming include:
- trying to push a hand through the wall
- trying to float up in the air
- looking at a clock face or digital watch
- flicking a light switch on and off
In the physical world, the outcome of all these reality checks is predictable. But in dreams, anything can and will happen. When a person intentionally pushes their hand through a wall inside a dream, they will realize it is just a dream and become lucid. The same principle applies during false awakenings.
To catch false awakenings as they occur and wake up in dreams, make it a habit to perform at least two reality checks upon waking every day. This is not hard, since the first thing most people do is look at their alarm clock. If the numbers are incoherent or replaced by something completely bizarre, the nature of the dream will be exposed. On becoming lucid, a person can do absolutely anything in a vividly realistic dreamworld.
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