I have been thinking about time dilation lately. I'll have to do a bit more research, but it seems to me that one's perception of time can change - for example experiencing things in "slow-motion" during a crisis. So I wonder, if you experience this "slow-motion" while dreaming, would it cause both your perception and your surroundings (which are internally generated anyway) to speed up relative to the external world so the dream would seem to last longer?

I suppose if this theory has merit, then nightmares should seem to last longer in general than less frightening dreams? I may do some research in the dream journal archives here on Dreamviews and see what people have experienced. My thought was, one could theoretically incubate a vivid nightmare before becoming lucid to extend their dreaming experience. Maybe not so fun - but it might not have to be a nightmare, so much as a crisis.

Just a thought.