Death is a common theme in dreams. Kelly Bulkeley, a dream researcher, author, and founder of the Sleep and Dream Database, which includes over 40,000 dream entries, states that experiencing death in dreams due to being killed, accidents, and other natural causes are the most common reasons.
People tend to awaken before dying in their own dreams. (Source: Getty Images).
According to this researcher, in recent years, COVID-19 has been a prominent scenario in dreams about death.
Many people wake up just before being shot, stabbed, or dying in their dreams. Experts say that this is a natural response to nightmares – a way for individuals to protect themselves from uncomfortable or distressing situations.
Deirdre Barrett, a dream psychology researcher at Harvard Medical School, states, “The fear has awakened them.”
However, this is not always the case. Research has shown that many people dream about death and, in some cases, even about their afterlife.
For some, the moments leading to death are the scariest. But according to a 1989 study on dreams of death, the moments of death and the subsequent events tend to be less frightening and, in some cases, even positive – with some individuals reporting feelings of peace or freedom.
Barrett notes that when people die in their dreams without waking up, it is “much less distressing and, on an emotional level, they may feel sadder than scared,” which may help explain why people continue to dream.
In her research, this scientist also found that in dreams about the afterlife, participants described their souls leaving their bodies to have “experiences of the other side,” becoming “passive observers of the reactions of those around them to their death,” which may “resemble stories of ‘out-of-body experiences’ and ‘near-death experiences.’”
The reasons people dream about death are quite complex. Experts say that humans have an inherent fear of death, and dreaming about it may help some individuals adjust their feelings about their own mortality.
In dreams, some individuals even experience their souls leaving their bodies after death. (Source: Snopes).
However, at other times, dreams about death may not relate to the end of life at all. They may represent other endings, such as jobs, relationships, or reflect the beginning of something new.
Researcher Bulkeley remarks, “It is very important when exploring dreams to avoid literal interpretations. Some people dream of death as a true end to biological life, but in other cases, the majority of dreams about death are symbolic or metaphorical, referring to themes of change, loss, and renewal.”
What You Should Know About Dreams
In a survey of adults in the UK, about half reported that they always or often remember their dreams, with women being more likely to recall dream content than men.
Experts say that younger people tend to remember their dreams more frequently than older adults, and their dreams are often more frightening.
Jeffrey Sumber, a psychotherapist specializing in dream analysis, notes that not everyone remembers their dreams, and some experience periods during which they cannot recall them at all.
For those who want to remember their dreams, he recommends keeping a journal by the bedside.
Upon waking, jot down the date, time, and if you cannot remember any details of your dream, write “no dreams to record.”
Within a few weeks, you may start recalling fragmented content of your dreams. Ultimately, the goal is to remember your dreams in their entirety.
