A great reality check involves asking yourself whether you are dreaming or not, as opposed to focusing more on what you are actually doing. You are less skeptical of what is going on around you when you are dreaming. Therefore, the objective is to consider seriously what is happening and ask, "Am I dreaming?"
I asked the community of Bored Panda to tell me about times they seriously questioned whether they were dreaming or not, and a lot of people actually shared some very interesting stories!
#1
When an ex-TV show host declared that he was running for the presidency.
Bored Panda reached out to S.D. (the specialist wished to remain anonymous), a certified sleep doctor as well as a trained lucid dreaming expert. Given that the current topic revolves around dreams, we asked E.D. to explain to us how one can distinguish between a very vivid dream and reality.
"The truth is that you can never truly be completely sure if you are dreaming or not, especially if you frequently have really vivid or lucid dreams. For this reason, it is important to use reality checks. I believe there are certain reality checks you can apply to tell dreams from reality.
First, I suggest looking at your hands and trying to breathe with your mouth and nose closed, another great tip is pushing your hand through something solid (if it goes through, it means you are dreaming). You can also try reading some text (it will look weird in a dream), or even flipping a light switch. Usually, something weird will happen, like it makes a sound."
#2
Definitely when I confessed my feelings to my now-wife and she told me that she feels the same way. Pretty much everything since that day has felt like it must be a dream...
#3
I was driving at dusk down an enormous hill near where I grew up. All of a sudden the moon began to rise above the trees to the right of the road at the base of the hill below me. It was huge. It looked like a giant glowing orb rising out of the forest. It was so large it spanned my entire windshield. I had to pull over to watch it, just in complete shock. On my phone it would not show up the same so I just stopped trying to record it or take pictures and just watched it. As it kept rising it shrank smaller until it was normal sized. I looked it up not long after and apparently it’s called “The Moon Illusion.” Its a known optical illusion. I think the angle of the hill and horizon somehow exaggerated it. I’ve seen the illusion since then a few times but never anything even close to that size. It did not feel real at all.
"Finally, if you're skilled enough, you could even get a tattoo to aid you because it would stay in one place permanently.
Remember that certain reality checks can and will fail, so it's best to perform two or three just to be safe. As a longtime lucid dreamer, this can become a little strange at times, but it's preferable to being confused, and the lucid dreaming experience is worthwhile!"
#4
I was on a road trip with the family to attend a graduation in Colorado, and because there was a large number of us from out of town, we were staying at a rental house. We arrived at the subdivision late at night and we (there were two cars) had so much trouble finding the right street, but we finally somehow got there.The next morning, my brother and I decided to drive to another town while everyone else slept to have breakfast with the family of the graduate. We left our subdivision and just as we were about to get to the main road, I made a wrong turn that led us into another subdivision that was still being built in the middle of open fields. Some houses were done, others were being worked on, and there were some construction guys around. There were only a few streets and blocks, probably 6 or 7, but for some odd reason, I couldn’t find our way back out! When I realized the street we were on wasn’t leading us through to get to the main road, I thought it would be simple to go around a block and find the way we had come in. But somehow it led me back into the inner streets! I tried going around another block, but kept ending up in the inner part of the subdivision.
So I thought I would drive through the outer streets, some of which were still under construction, but again, somehow they would lead us back in. I was getting frustrated at first, but each time we would end up in the inner streets, I started to freak out a little. My brother wasn’t saying much other than suggesting we go this way or that way. At one point I stopped by where some guys were working on a house, and sheepishly asked them how I could drive out of there to get onto the main road. They looked at me like I was nuts – after all, this was such a small subdivision. They directed me to go a way I had already tried twice, so I hesitated. I asked if that was the only way and they said yes. Got back in the car, went that way, and still got lost.
At this point, I stopped the car and asked my brother what the heck was going on. He didn’t know what to say but I could tell he kept trying to find a reasonable explanation and said to try going another way, which again, we had already tried. There were only so many combinations of turns we could make, and I felt like we had tried them all. I seriously was about to cry, and I’m someone who can keep my composure and think clearly in stressful times, but this was just not something I had experienced in real life, just in my dreams (or nightmares). Also, I’m pretty good with directions and aware of my cardinal points. At one point I saw one of the construction guys get in his work truck and drive off, so I figured he was going out of the subdivision. I followed him and sure enough, we were able to get out. The way he went had been one of the ways we had already tried!
To this day I cannot explain it and every time I’ve asked my brother about it, he always says that we must have just kept missing some street that led out. I’m just not so sure and I'll never forget the panic I felt!
#5
When my son was 6 days old and rushed to a large children's hospital (I will not give the name of the hospital and will say that I have lived in several states in the US). While trying to rest on a bench in a waiting room I was awoken by a doctor telling me that there was a mix-up in the pharmacy that was overlooked by nurses and though they apologize they needed to tell me that my son was given a concentrated dose of magnesium instead of the pediatric dose he was supposed to be given, effectively paralyzing his respiratory system. He was in a coma and put on life support. I had had an emergency C-section less than a week before and I thought for a few minutes that it was a dream caused by the high dose of painkillers I was on.I wish I had been but am grateful that besides this total oversight the hospital DID save his life in the end (his calcium and magnesium levels were the lowest that his pedi had ever seen in a child that was still alive). He is now 14 years old.
Since S.D. is a trained lucid dream expert, we were wondering if they had any tips for those of us who might want to start lucid dreaming as well.
“I suggest starting dream journaling, deep breathing exercises, and visualization of becoming lucid as you drift off to sleep. Sometimes, just that is sufficient. From my experience, for the majority of people, this at the very least enhances dream recall and vividness.”
#6
Saturday morning, in bed. My dad told me to relax and not work too hard. He passed away 2 years before.
#7
When the whole of New York City flooded...oh my god. Plus Greece and Italy wildfires. And to be honest, the whole of 2020.
S.D. revealed to Bored Panda that a lot of their clients who come for help hope to experience lucid dreaming regularly, however, to some people, the thought is rather scary. We asked the lucid dream expert to name us some of the most popular reasons as to why people want to get into a state of lucid dreaming.
“From my experience and from what my clients told me, some of them do it for fun, while others do it to meet their deceased relatives and experience catharsis. Others do it to hone their physical abilities or even to study for exams. Some people use it as a sort of meditation, while others use it as a safe exposure treatment or therapy to face their fears. The reasons are endless and only limited by the mind itself.”
#8
9/11! My sister called me and told me to watch TV, some towers in NY were burning. It didn't look real, more like a bad dream...
#9
When my GF asked me out. I was pinching myself every 30 seconds just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
#10
When the first lockdown was enforced. We knew from international news that there was this new disease spreading fast, but in Mexico we kinda felt like I was so far away, that maybe we'd have some few cases but not as bad as the eastern part of the world.I went one day to school and was told that the school would close for 3 days, as a preventive measure. Needless to say, those three days elapsed and things really went south. Almost two years later, school is still closed.
#11
(I told this story in another thread before.)Me and my friend go for a drink after work, once per week or so. We have our favorite pub - small, cozy place with one room on the ground floor and two rooms with a bathroom in the basement. Well... TWO rooms.
One day we went to 'our' pub. We were right after work and my friend never drinks alcohol anyway as he's usually driving, so we were both completely sober. We ordered a beer for me and cola for him and went down to the basement. And - to our incredulity - there was only ONE room, instead of two. For a second I thought there was something seriously wrong with me, but then my friend said: 'There were TWO rooms before, weren't there?'
We looked at the wall - no sign indicated that there was a door before. The paint was old (there were even scratches and stains in some places), there was no trace of the doorframe... Mind you, we were there one week ago, so the paint would still be fresh. We went as far as to ask the bartender what happened to the second room.
'What second room?' she asked incredulously.
We decided our minds were collectively messing with our memories, so we just finished our drinks and left. Of course, we came back one week later. And guess what?
THE SECOND ROOM WAS THERE AGAIN!!!
And again, no traces of fresh paint, demolitions, new doorframe... nothing.
'You see it too?' my friend asked.
We are still going there for our drinks, at least when it's possible because of the pandemic. And the second room is always there. There was only this one instance when it vanished.
I'd think I just went crazy but my friend also remembers that. To this day, we still don't know what the hell that was.
#12
I was 16 and got lost in the woods. As dark approached, I was getting nervous about being lost all night. Out of nowhere, I saw a dog. It came right up to me and was friendly. I decided to follow it, hoping it was going home and would lead me back to civilization. After some time, we stumbled out of the woods, onto a road with a house nearby. I got help. I never saw the dog again and no one nearby owned a dog or remembered a dog like that. I still wonder what happened to it. It's like it vanished the moment I had help. I didn't even get to thank him/her.
#13
My Mom passed away from breast cancer 22 years ago. I dreamed that she came to my bedroom. I stood and she wrapped her arms around me. I said, “Oh, Mom.” We stood there, her humming and swaying, and telling me it would be alright. So real I can still feel her hug.
#14
My husband passed away. I was devastated. I had dreams he came to rub my shoulders, it was so real.
#15
When I saw my sister on a Geico commercial when I was watching TV. She wanted to surprise us, and she did.
#16
For not only myself, but for all the people living in Japan at the time, on March 11th, 2011, and the following days and weeks, the earthquake, the tsunamis, and everything felt like a nightmare.Except it was real and sleep offered no respite from the grief and terror for a long time. Almost 11 years after, I still have bad dreams of earthquakes and tsunamis.
#17
I blinked while in bed. Before I blinked, it was 7:00 pm. When I opened my eyes, it was suddenly 5:00 am.
#18
This one has always been pretty vivid and I'm still not sure but I'm too scared to ask. I have a weird memory of fighting with my sister. Halfway through I got smacked down the stairs...then I got up and went to take a nap because my body hurt from falling down the stairs. Woke up in my bed and couldn't remember if that had been part of my dream or if I'd actually been slapped down the stairs.
#19
The sound of my front door opening woke me from a sound sleep. I'm laying there my heart pounding and frozen with fear I can't move, thinking who came into my apartment? No one else had a key. As this is all going through my head the bedroom door opened and closed and someone laid down behind me and put an arm over me, spooning fashion. I felt the weight on the mattress and the arm across me, still not knowing who it could be. Then I really woke up. A dream within a dream?
#20
I was like 7 or something. I dreamt that I was in an empty room and an unknown woman comes to me, I never saw her in reality. The next day, I found my grandma cleaning a photo. The person I dreamt about was my long-dead aunt (father's sister).
#21
I had a miscarriage. It was a dream, but it sure didn't feel like one. Spent the whole day mourning my nonexistent baby.
#22
Highway 20 slices thru our farm in Oregon. Sitting at the kitchen table, years ago, a blustery fall morning.I’m looking out the window and see a green rocking chair going by at about 50 mph, backward. The old mohair type with wooden arms and platform rocker. BLINK!
I proceeded out to the highway and saw nothing. About then I see my grandma, who lived across the road, coming up her drive, glancing around. I went across and we were both looking around. She asks, ”Are you looking for something?”
“Are you?” (I was pretty hesitant to admit what I’d seen, as it was nowhere in site) She quietly said she thought she’d seen a green rocking chair. GREAT! I wasn’t dreaming, but it was not to be seen!!! So after a while of looking, we found it had apparently pulled off the road into her half-circle front drive, hopped the curb, and ended up jammed between two old fir trees, partly under a rhododendron, just like it was planned decor!
Turns out it had lifted off a flatbed traveling north & landed at a clip, pulled in drive as it slowed. The only damage, slightly sanded the wooden base a little. We pulled it closer to the road & the folks that lost it, came back & reclaimed their traveling antique! Securing it better this time!
The most amazing thing I’ve seen going down the road!
#23
Working, for months I was doing nothing but walkthrough metal detectors. I dreamt I was directing people through them. When I got cold, I remember thinking "I'm out of uniform." Very out of uniform, I was naked. I started to freak out because I thought I went to work naked, took a minute for reality to come back. I'd sat up in bed and thought my doorway was the metal detector, I really was cold and naked.
#24
When the love of my teenage life asked me to be his girlfriend! :)
#25
For a few months, I lived in a house that was plagued by paranormal activity. For example, one day I saw a lamp swiped off the top of a dresser and smashed into bits on the floor. The lamp just didn't fall off the edge, it was swiped off and thrown down with force. The floor was carpeted, so if it had just fallen it might have cracked, but not broken into bits. Anyway, on to the "dreaming" part.I woke up one night sensing a heavy presence in a dressing area just off the main bedroom. I had a "freeze" reaction where I could not move.
The presence moved into the room and "sat" on the corner of the bed--I felt the mattress compress under its weight. My feeling was that it was a dense ball of energy that had it not been employing some means of supporting itself would have instantaneously sank to the center of the earth.
That's when I woke up and spun myself out of bed, throwing myself against the opposite wall. My arms were spread out like a cross as this dark ball of energy hovered on the bed. I looked down and my feet were a good six inches off the floor.
I started reciting, "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit" as I was held suspended--hey, I'm not a religious person, but I figured if it worked in horror movies...! Gradually, I began sinking down until my feet finally touched the floor.
The next thing I knew, it was morning and I woke up in bed with no doubt in my mind that it had all actually happened. The only clue that it was a dream was that I had only recently moved into the house and there were still a couple of boxes I hadn't unpacked on the floor. In the "dream," those boxes weren't there.
#26
For months, I ordered tiny decorations for our home wedding celebration. I’m up all night and sleep all day (as an artist, easier to focus at night but I’ve done that since I was 7 years old).The doorbell would ring several times a day, waking me up and I’d have to run down the stairs to get the parcels.
There were simply dozens of times when I would hear the doorbell, as usual, put clothes on, and run down to get the parcels only to discover the doorbell sound was just in my mind. I had literally trained my brain to imagine it and wake up to that somehow expectantly.. even when it wasn’t happening, at least several times a week.
It was 2-3 terribly exhausting months!
#27
I went to the movie theater when I was little with my dad and grandma and we watched toy story. Neither of them remember it, and the memories I have sort of feel like dreams, but at the same time, it felt really real.Another time I sat up in bed in my dark room and it looked like there were long strands of those plastic parade beads hanging from the ceiling. Blue, green and purple ones.
Again, it felt really real. Could have been a dream, or my eyes playing tricks on me. Still don’t know.
#28
When my grandparents got a munchkin cat! He was so small I didn’t even think it was medically possible. He is my profile pic if you wanna see him.
#29
I have a vivid memory to this day of my dad letting the dogs off the leash and letting them run away. I was even mad at him for it for years. My dad and my mom said it never happened. Still feels real to me.
#30
In this story, it was a dream I had. In the dream, I went to a rock climbing competition. I’ve never actually participated in one but it seemed so real. Anyways, I chalk up, and do my usual pre-climb routine, normal stuff. This specific event was bouldering, so I did not have my harness. I remember reaching the top, then falling. It felt real as I went down to the ground. I wake up from a dream in a hospital. Now I all think it was real, but turns out I just woke up from my operation and went back to sleep because it was 6 in the morning.
#31
When I was at my dad's house me and my step-mom were just watching a family feud and all of a sudden the bathroom door somehow opens on its own, it opened slowly and it even did that creepy a*s creaking sound.At first, we thought my sister was in the bathroom but she was upstairs and we legit thought our house was haunted! This isn't the only creepy a*s thing that happened in that house, but that's a story for another time.
