# False awakening dreams **URL:** \ **Category:** General Sleep & Insomnia\ **Created:** [March 18, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199 "2025-03-18T23:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sandracortes3165](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@sandracortes3165](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/sandracortes3165)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/1 "2025-03-18T23:50:10Z")
I keep having these and I find it hard to sleep and it leaves me feeling scared and confused.Need clarity and advice.As this makes it hard to tell whether I’m dreaming or not.And also if this is harmless. ---
**Author:** ![LoganFoley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community.sleepdoctor.com/loganfoley/32/91_2.png) [@LoganFoley](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/LoganFoley)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/2 "2025-03-19T18:25:13Z")
First off, I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with this. I know this can be a frightening experience. Unfortunately, this is an area of sleep that is severely under researched. However, experts tend to agree that these are not harmful, just anxiety-inducing. If you feel like this is affecting your overall sleep quality or you’re feeling overly sleepy all day, speaking with a medical or mental health professional may be helpful. Here’s some research done on the topic if you are interested in reading more: - [What Is a False Awakening?](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/dreams/false-awakening) - [Idiopathic Nightmares and Dream Disturbances Associated with Sleep–Wake Transitions - ScienceDirect](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9781416066453000979?via%3Dihub) - [Are sleep paralysis and false awakenings different from REM sleep and from lucid REM sleep? A spectral EEG analysis - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33283752/) ---
**Author:** ![Whindy](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community.sleepdoctor.com/whindy/32/93_2.png) [@Whindy](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/Whindy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:04am UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/3 "2025-03-22T04:04:53Z")
First off, I’m not a doctor! I get these ALL the time now. I did some research and it turned out one of my medications was the cause. They are so vivid and life-like. I wake up sometimes thinking what happened in the dream is really happening. Once I realized the medication was causing this the dreams are much less scary. ---
**Author:** ![sandracortes3165](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@sandracortes3165](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/sandracortes3165)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/4 "2025-03-23T22:05:34Z")
How do you deal with the anxiety or the fear that comes with it.And also do you do like reality checks. ---
**Author:** ![Whindy](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community.sleepdoctor.com/whindy/32/93_2.png) [@Whindy](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/Whindy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/5 "2025-03-24T00:00:38Z")
Once I realized the dreams were false that helped. When I wake up I ask myself if there’s a chance the dream was real. Mine often feature people who have passed or people who live far away. Those are easy to dismiss. I gave up trying to figure out why I’m having that dream. I just try to dismiss it and move on. ---
**Author:** ![sandracortes3165](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@sandracortes3165](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/u/sandracortes3165)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://community.sleepdoctor.com/t/false-awakening-dreams/199/6 "2025-03-31T00:33:09Z")
I know this is probably gonna sound dumb but after having a false awakening you do eventually wake up right it’s just that they seem pretty realistic and I’m stuck during the day wondering whether I’m dreaming or not.