False awakening

A false awakening is an instance in which one dreams he or she has awakened. This illusion of having awakened is often very convincing. After a false awakening, people will usually dream of performing daily morning rituals, believing they have awakened. Like a lucid dream, the dreamer can think very clearly during a false awakening. Because of this ability to think clearly, false awakenings can help people dream lucidly. However, false awakenings are not the same as lucid dreams because the dreamers do not always know they are dreaming.

Because the dreamer is still dreaming after a false awakening, it is possible for there to be more than one false awakening in a single dream. Often, dreamers will seem to have awakened, begin eating breakfast, brushing teeth, etc. and then find themselves back in bed, begin daily morning rituals, believe that they have awakened, and so forth. More commonly, dreamers will believe they have awakened and then "fall back asleep" in the dream.

See also

• Lucid dreaming
• Dream