Each of us at some point in our lives faces the loss of a loved one.

It is an inevitable part of our existence, although it often evokes more emotions than we might expect.

The death of loved ones can affect us in different ways, and one of them is dreams about those who have already died.

Meeting the deceased in a dream may have a deeper meaning than we realize.

Soon it is a very individual process.

Some people allow themselves to cry, others withdraw into themselves, and still others pretend that nothing has changed.

Regardless of how they cope with loss, a common experience for many people is having dreams about those who have died.

It is our subconscious that reminds us of our loved ones, and these dreams may not be just a memory.

The question arises: can we receive messages from the deceased in dreams?

Patrick McNamara, a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Boston University, calls these dreams “visitation dreams.”

According to his research, the deceased appear alive in such dreams, and people experiencing grief describe these experiences as extremely realistic.

McNamara, also known as the Dreamcatcher, explains in his posts on the Psychology Today blog that such dreams can help people cope with grief and accept loss.

The professor himself described a dream in which he was visited by his deceased parents.

He claimed that it was such a real experience that it was difficult for him to ignore it, even with his skeptical approach.

He wondered how powerful such dreams could be on those who approached the subject less critically.

This is one of many testimonies that indicate the importance of such dreams for people experiencing grief.

Scientific research confirms that dreams about the deceased can play an important role in overcoming loss.

In 2014, the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care published a study showing that such dreams are common and often have important meaning for those who are grieving.

They can depict the deceased as healthy, peaceful, and sometimes even convey important messages.

A 2016 study by Canadian researchers of 76 people who had lost loved ones found that most participants found dreams about the deceased helpful for their belief in an afterlife and for building a sense of connection with their deceased loved ones.

Psychologist Jennifer E. Shorter of the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto has also researched this topic.

In her research, she identified four characteristics of visitation dreams: the deceased appear in them in a healthy or younger form, they convey information about their current condition, the communication is more telepathic than verbal, and the dreams themselves are usually calm and orderly.

Have you ever had dreams about a dead person?

What emotions did you feel? For many, such dreams are a source of comfort and hope.

Share your experiences in the comments if you think they might be meaningful.