Things You'll Need:
- Dream Journal
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Step 1
First, you need to work on your dream recall. Keep a dream journal beside the bed and when you wake from a dream, write it down. Don’t get up and go to the bathroom or brush your teeth. Write down your dream before you forget it.
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Step 2
After a week or so of writing down your dreams, you’ll realize that you only recall a few. In reality, you have many dreams each night. Dreams occur when you enter REM sleep, which tends to happen after about 90 minutes of sleep. So set your alarm. Wake up every 90 minutes or so and write down your dreams. Although it sounds annoying, it doesn’t take long to scribble what you remember about your dream and fall right back to sleep.
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Step 3
Continue with the dream journal until you consistently remember at least four or five dreams each night. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for the next step: reality checks. Every time you dream, something will happen that can’t really happen in your day-to-day life. Watch for it! This is what will clue you in to the dream.
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Step 4
One way to set up a reality check is force it. Every day, set up a routine and watch for differences. If there is a difference, you’re dreaming! For example: pinch your nose shut and close your mouth, then try to breathe. In real life, this doesn’t work, but if you do it in your dream and you can breathe, you will know that you’re not actually awake. Other examples include: check your watch, look away, check it again. Was it the same time? If not, you’re dreaming!
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Step 5
Be patient. Using these triggers each and every day, it may still take a while for you to notice it in your dream. It may seem silly to have to look at your watch twice, but when it becomes a habit, then it comes into your dreams.
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Step 6
Expect failure. In your first few attempts, don’t be surprised if your reality check fails and you get so excited that you wake up! It feels like you failed, but you didn’t. You’re on the right path and once you get used to seeing those little reality checks fail, then you’ll be able to start taking control.
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Step 7
When you start to realize that you’re dreaming, take it slow. Try to control only your actions, not everyone around you right away. Try changing the scenery or the color of a flower with your mind. By starting slow you’ll develop the best habits for controlling your dreams later.
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Step 8
Keep trying! This process can be super-speedy or super-slow. Everyone who tries has different results and if it’s taking a while for your reality checks to click in, don’t stress. It will come, just keep trying!
