Off the top of my head: pinching myself, checking small details, checking for internal consistency and/or odd gaps in recent memory (this one is the worst to know that my brain can fake), checking illumination levels, pretty much ANY variation of “you can’t do X in a dream” (I can read, see color, and do comparison price shopping between competing brands with the price signs remaining consistent)
Light switches never work in my dream, but I always just assume the bulb burnt out and it drives me nuts that I can never use this as a reliable test. Maybe the dreams where the lights work are just not noteworthy enough to get remembered, though.
What about pinching your nose shut with your hand and then trying to breathe through your nose? That’s one that works for me I actually remember using within the last year.
Off the top of my head: pinching myself, checking small details, checking for internal consistency and/or odd gaps in recent memory (this one is the worst to know that my brain can fake), checking illumination levels, pretty much ANY variation of “you can’t do X in a dream” (I can read, see color, and do comparison price shopping between competing brands with the price signs remaining consistent)
Light switches never work in my dream, but I always just assume the bulb burnt out and it drives me nuts that I can never use this as a reliable test. Maybe the dreams where the lights work are just not noteworthy enough to get remembered, though.
What about pinching your nose shut with your hand and then trying to breathe through your nose? That’s one that works for me I actually remember using within the last year.