Nightmares increase chance of lucid dream?

**9696banned** · 05-12-2012 06:43 AM

I have noticed that for me, when I have a nightmare I usually become lucid. Even before I knew about lucid dreaming I became slightly aware I was dreaming. I was never able to fly or anything at the time but still. It seems like as the anxiety builds up the more aware I get. Does this happen to anyone else?

I just had a lucid nightmare this morning where I was going into some dark house with bags of fish all around and eventually ghosts, which caused me to become aware

**gab** · 05-13-2012 08:55 PM

I have had some scary dreams with ghosts, but it didn't get me lucid. Although, that was before I learned about LDing. But it's possible, that nightmares get you lucid, since you probably pay more attention in your dream, when it's scary. Happy dreams

**Freda** · 05-13-2012 09:55 PM

True. Nightmares are somewhat of a gold mine for lucid dreaming. I almost never have them though.

**Lichi** · 05-13-2012 10:02 PM

I believe they increase the chance of becoming lucid since most of them because something weird happens and you may ask yourself if that is a dream, besides they are very vivid. However I also believe that there are high chances that the dream collapses because you can be frightened and also because of the lack of time you may have to change the dream scene. For example: You are being chased by a killer but you become aware that this is a dream. As soon as you become aware you try to change the dream scene but you only have 1 second to do it as that killer won't stop chasing you and as you are frightened you won't be able to think with clarity. Anyways it's quite rare that you are able to change a dream scene so fast, so that killer will just kill you or the dream will collapse due to the scary sensation.

**smouse** · 05-13-2012 10:19 PM

when i was a little kid I would become lucid in some nightmares because I would realize that monsters shouldnt exist so it must be a dream. I would never stay lucid though, I would wake myself up because I was scared.

**Patrick** · 05-14-2012 02:07 PM

Recurring nightmares are what induced my first lucid dreams. I was so used to encountering the bizarre scenario (veloceraptors hunting me in my school) that it was easy to recognise I was dreaming when it happened. At first I could only wake myself up or make the raptors disappear, but eventually I got more control.