False Awakening

The Phenomenon of a Dream Within a Dream

A false awakening is a vivid dream in which the dreamer is convinced that he or she is awake in physical reality but remains asleep. Otherwise known as a double dream, or a dream within a dream, the common phenomenon of a false awakening begins when the scene of a dream changes to the dreamer waking up in his or her own bed. The dreamer may then start to perform daily morning rituals such as cooking, cleaning and eating under the complete assumption that he or she is fully awake.

Eventually, the conscious brain that remains asleep may recognize the illusory nature of more complex tasks such as looking in the mirror or reading street signs on the way to work. Generally, the person wakes up from the dream as soon as this illusory nature is exposed and a basis for questioning the reality of the dream is evident.

Sometimes, a person may experience multiple false awakening dreams in a row, performing the same routine tasks repeatedly while asleep yet fully convinced that all of it is real.

What Causes False Awakening Dreams?

Sleep experts suggest that false awakenings most commonly occur when a person is excited or excessively worried about the following day. The morning of the first day of school or the start of a new career, for example, may cause a person to experience false awakening dreams.

False Awakening and Lucid Dreaming

Some people use the phenomenon of a false awakening to induce lucid dreams, where the dreamer can influence and control the actual dream. Lucid dreamers often do this through reality checking and dream signs.