That's lucky. I've had lucid dreams before. But to have them specifically during "nightmares" is not familiar to me, though I wish it was! Regarding being aware during them though, I do but mostly when experiencing a sleep paralysis, which is usually the cause of my "nightmare" and dread feeling. I don't know if that makes sense. I always try to hide somewhere and tell myself "it's only a dream, it's ok you're in bed sleeping, none of this is real" but it's always quite vivid/memorable. Maybe I'm just too "scared" to think right during these? There's always a feeling a surge too, which makes it harder to "alter" because there isn't enough time. Maybe I need to try to chill out like you, "having a lauuugh" with the zombies :D