Reality Checks (RC)

"Awareness is empowering."
Rita Wilson
 
Being lucid in a dream is defined as being aware of that state, but how can you know? Relying on your assessment seems not a good idea. If that was of any use, you would be lucid in nearly all of your dreams already. What we need is a quick and reliable way to test our state. Used at the right time, it will tell us when we are dreaming. This is done by performing reality checks.

Reality checks are simple tricks with two possible outcomes: First, "I'm dreaming" and second, "Maybe I'm awake". There is no definitive way to make sure that you are awake, because reality checks sometimes lead to results you would expect in waking life, even when you are sound asleep - think about the implications. A good reality check should have a minimum tendency to produce false positives, it should be unconditional, easy to perform and discreet in order to avoid awkward situations. First let me give you a few bad examples of commonly used reality checks:
 
Pinching yourself
Probably the most famous dream-related myth, it is not even considered a serious reality check among lucid dreamers. You will feel the pinch. Conclusion: Useless.
 
Reading texts
Texts are said to alter in dreams when reading them. I cannot confirm that, texts are pretty consistent in my dreams. Besides it requires you to have something to read. Conclusion: Unreliable and conditional.

Pushing a finger through your palm
If you can push a finger through your palm, you are dreaming, or so it is said. Doesn't work for me and I assume that applies to others, too. Conclusion: Unreliable.
 
Using light switches
Light switches are thought to be inoperable in dreams. Mine work fine most of the time. And what if no light switch is near? In addition this would appear very strange to others when done in waking life. Conclusion: Unreliable, conditional and awkward.
 
This list is not exhaustive, but I guess you get the drift and will be able to apply the above conditions that make a good reality check yourself.

I still owe you an example of a good reality check. There is one specific that is extremely reliable, easy to use anywhere and anytime, relatively discreet and it's probably the only one you'll ever need. It is about something that connects your sleeping body with the dream world: Your breath. Hold your nose and try to breathe through it. If you can, you're dreaming, if you can't, you could still be dreaming, but it's rather unlikely - it may happen though. Once I performed this check when I was already lucid, nevertheless I wasn't able to breathe and when I repeatedly tried, I woke up being winded.
 
Another reliable and absolutely discreet reality check is to go through the chain of events that led to the actual moment in your mind. If you can't think back, you're probably dreaming. It takes a bit of time and effort, but trains your memory and awareness when performed regularly.

Personally I find it too lengthy, especially in situations one needs to act quickly. Another drawback is that it can produce false negatives if short-term memory is impaired. Believing to dream when actually awake might cause dangerous behavior.

To function as a tool for becoming lucid, reality checks must be performed regularly during day and night, no matter if you are sleeping or not - actually you wouldn't know without. If you fail to perform reality checks when awake, you'll certainly do so when asleep. Whenever you get into a situation that is likely to occur in your dreams, do a reality check. If something appears strange to you, do a reality check. If you have the slightest doubt about your state, do a reality check. And last, but surely not least, whenever you wake up, guess what... reality check. This is required, because dealing with lucid dreams you are going to have quite a number of false awakenings so often clichédly depicted in movies. Let doing reality checks become a natural habit to you.
 
Finding out about reoccurring dream events usually requires you to record and analyze your dreams and though I strongly recommend to do so for other reasons - esp. to enhance dream recall, you can alternatively pick an event that is virtually certain to occur in dreams. For example you could do a reality check whenever you converse with another person. Depending on your lifestyle, this can keep you quite busy during waking hours though.
 
When performing a reality check, expect it to fail, like it would in a dream. When awake, this doesn't change the result, but when dreaming, expectations can have an immense influence.