Thread: Watching horror movies before bed?

Originally Posted by Skarr

I just finished watching a horror movie last night and I have to admit it it kinda got me spooked a little bit. The movie lasted until 4:00 AM and I stayed up until 6:30 AM this morning. The movie had killing scenes and it was about a serial killer. I didn't go to bed any time sooner because I knew if I went to bed I would start having nightmares, lucid nightmares probably. I was wondering if it was a bad idea to watch horror movies before bed. Do you think I should stop watching horror movies before bad? Will it give a bad boost in nightmares?

While your dreams might not necessarily relate to the movie you had watched, there is a very good chance you will have a nightmare.

I avoid these type of movies at all costs. From a yoga perspective, what we focus on becomes our reality. Do you want that reality in your life? Maybe you do. Some people love the adrenaline rush of terror. I have enough bad and weird dreams i don't have to watch horror movies.

Nightmares can be quite inspiring and insightful, but if nightmares is not what you want then maybe best avoid intense movies with violent or frightening scenes.

I can never get to sleep after watching a horror movie, dreams aside. Every time I get close to dropping off.. I jolt awake again. Never been a fan of scary movies at all.

I think it's really personal, I have no problems what so ever with watching horror movies before bed(but they almost never scare/freighten me)
whenI was younger I used to always read horro-stories before sleeping, and never had nightmares from it(only had one horror-like nightmare in my life, other nightmares were about drowning, gettig caught by a lion, and as far as I remember haven't had more nightmares, altough I had the last 2 nightmares 2 times)

I'm confused on what you mean about most likely having a "lucid nightmare". To me I don't really think there is such a thing - if you are having a scary dream/nightmare and you become lucid then you win, you are aware you are dreaming and therefore aware that whatever is scaring you is completely NOT REAL.

Here's an example; I had watched a scary movie before bed (which isn't uncommon for me since I LOVE horror). That same night I began dreaming that I was walking down this spiral staircase into a very dark basement. I began to become scared because I knew something was waiting for me down there. Suddenly a gruesome dark figure popped out but I became lucid at the same time and suddenly that dark figure turned into a cartoon bunny.

I think if you prepare yourself ahead of time to not be scared then your chances of becoming lucid, thus diminishing the nightmare, are that much higher.

To KULANANDA - I've been "focusing" on horror movies since I was 9 years old when I saw The Shining for the first time. I'm 24 now and the fantasy of these movies have not become a reality in my life, just made it more exciting

Originally Posted by dreamingofdreaming

I'm confused on what you mean about most likely having a "lucid nightmare". To me I don't really think there is such a thing

I beg to differ! Here's my first. 100% lucid the whole time. (The scary part at least)
Couldn't escape this scary one. Luckily I was able to wake myself up from it, unlike the last.
Most recent. This time I was able to overcome my fears. Which isn't always as easy as you suggest!
I guess it gets easier with experience.

To KULANANDA - I've been "focusing" on horror movies since I was 9 years old when I saw The Shining for the first time. I'm 24 now and the fantasy of these movies have not become a reality in my life, just made it more exciting [/QUOTE]

Thats amazing to me. I love watching movies on vampires and werewolves, the occult etc. They seem to me to have the same effect horror has on you and others. I just womder what the long term consequence might be.

Originally Posted by J.D.

I beg to differ! Here's my first. 100% lucid the whole time. (The scary part at least)
Couldn't escape this scary one. Luckily I was able to wake myself up from it, unlike the last.
Most recent. This time I was able to overcome my fears. Which isn't always as easy as you suggest!
I guess it gets easier with experience.

Well, you do make a great point (great dream entries btw) but I still disagree I am by no means an "experienced" lucid dreamer. Yes, I have had lucids all my life (before I knew what they were) and yes I've WILDed about 5times but I'm no pro. However, when I do get lucid, the amount of clarity I experience is overwhelming. Nothing, I mean NOTHING could scare me when I'm in that state. If I saw something completely horrifying I would simply laugh at what my mind produced. Because that is just it, you are IN YOUR MIND and becoming lucid is realizing that right now at this moment you are sleeping in bed and awake in your HEAD!

I do get scared during sleep paralysis because even though I know it is not real, I can't move, so when a creepy goblin child like thing comes and sits on my chest and I begin to suffocate its hard to ignore to say the least. However, I usually WILD from that state so in the end its worth it.

I'm curious why you've had these nightmarish experiences but still knew you were dreaming, I really think you were only semi-lucid because in a full blown lucid I believe you should have total control or atleast be able to face whatever fake thing that is scaring you...

Originally Posted by dreamingofdreaming

Nothing, I mean NOTHING could scare me when I'm in that state. If I saw something completely horrifying I would simply laugh at what my mind produced. Because that is just it, you are IN YOUR MIND and becoming lucid is realizing that right now at this moment you are sleeping in bed and awake in your HEAD!

It maybe just comes down to how much of a scaredy-cat the dreamer is. (Me being quite a big one ) I know horror movies aren't real while I'm watching them, but it doesn't stop them from scaring me. I know what you mean though, it's silly to be scared of a nightmare when you know it's a nightmare! Working on it!

I'm curious why you've had these nightmarish experiences but still knew you were dreaming, I really think you were only semi-lucid because in a full blown lucid I believe you should have total control or atleast be able to face whatever fake thing that is scaring you...

I've never been more lucid than in that first one where I couldn't wake up. All I wanted to do was wake up, but since I kept getting FA's, it felt like I was trapped or something. I think the total lucidity could have been my downfall- I was so aware that I was the only living person in there, it was like a mental prison. Also, there was no focal point to face, which was a bummer.

Good Luck!

If elements from the horror movie you just watched before going to sleep appear in your dream, that might help you to become lucid. Like you might see the serial killer/monster from the horror movie and try doing a reality check (if you can) and become lucid.

But i have never watched a horror movie before going to bed, so this is just a theory.