False awakening

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A false awakening is a phenomenon in which the scene of the dream changes into that of the dreamer waking up, usually in his or her own bed. This can be very misleading to the dreamer, who thinks he or she has woken up, but is still actually dreaming. False awakenings are very common, especially during lucid dreams. A dreamer can have several False Awakenings in a row.

For some people, false awakenings are their main method of becoming lucid.

[edit] Dealing with false awakenings

Perhaps the best way to deal with false awakenings is to perform a reality check as soon as possible. Since false awakenings are often very authentic, this will often mean that performing a reality check whenever you awake is the best way to detect false awakenings.

A good reality check to use is an alarm clock, since this is usually situated near the bed and in easy reach.

[edit] Reason behind False Awakenings

Recurring false awakenings can have several reasons, but the most prominent of them is excessive worrying about the following day. For example, being stressed about a test/job interview going on the next day can make you dream of it. This way, your mind will simulate everything you do daily when you wake up, in the dream, fooling you into believing it is real. For that matter, a lucid dreamer is advised to test reality whenever he/she wakes up.

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