The world of lucid dreaming has limitless possibilities, but lucid nightmares can also occur when a person realizes they’re dreaming but cannot control the plot and, worse, can’t wake up. German researchers Katharina Löhner, Michael Schredl (a well-known specialist in this area), and Anja Göritz investigated why lucid nightmares occur and how people cope with them by conducting an online survey with 1,267 participants.
They found that about one in five lucid dreams (21%) is a lucid nightmare. They also found that lucid nightmares are especially common in people with high anxiety, those who constantly experience ordinary nightmares, and experienced lucid dreamers who practice regularly. Women, people who experience anxiety, and people generally suffer from scary dream plots also worry more about such cases.
The results also show that only 14% of people who have had lucid nightmares try to fight them. Although methods based on psychotherapy are the most effective, they are also the least commonly used. More often, people seek support in online communities, which is the least effective option, although it does bring some relief. The authors believe it is essential to continue researching ways to help individuals who become “stuck” in their dreams find a way out.
Have you experienced any lucid nightmares? How did you deal with them?
The article was published in July 2025 in Dreaming.
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