Dreams of the deceased: A scoping and mixed-methods systematic review.
Zulkayda Mamat, Rumia B Owaisi, Sarif Alrai, Ayse Kaya Goktepe, Jacob White, Peter J Bayley, Khalid Elzamzamy
Sleep Medicine April 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.108787 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDreams of deceased loved ones are common across cultures and often serve emotional functions related to grief processing, such as providing comfort, guidance, and a sense of continued connection. A systematic scoping and mixed-methods review of 110 publications found that 60.9% of reports were published after 2010, with 51.8% from the USA. Among 76 studies analyzed in depth, 73.7% used qualitative methods. The impact of these dreams tended to be positive, suggesting a role in facilitating emotional healing. The review calls for interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand these dreams and their implications for grieving and cultural practices.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Systematic scoping review and mixed-methods systematic review Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Ancestral dreams Bereavement Continuing bonds Dream content analysis Sleep |
| Key finding | Dreams of the deceased are prevalent across diverse cultures and generally have a positive emotional impact, facilitating grief processing through comfort, guidance, and continued connection. |
Abstract
This systematic scoping review (ScR) and mixed-methods systematic review (MMSR) investigates dreams of the deceased (DoD), i.e., experiences where individuals dream of deceased loved ones. We examined prevalence, characteristics of dreamers and the deceased, functions of these dreams, and cultural interpretations. A comprehensive search across five academic databases resulted in 4030 reports initially found, yielding 110 publications for the ScR and 76 for the MMSR. The ScR identified that 60.9 % of the reports were published after 2010, with 51.8 % originating from the USA. The MMSR revealed that qualitative methodologies dominated the literature (73.7 %). Our findings suggest that DoD are prevalent across diverse cultural contexts and serve significant emotional functions related to grief processing. Common themes included feelings of comfort, guidance, and continued connection with deceased loved ones. The impact of these dreams tended to be positive, suggesting their role in facilitating emotional healing. Overall, this review underscores the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration to deepen our understanding of DoD and their implications for grieving processes and cultural practices.