According to a report by Metro (UK) on September 4, 2026, dreams and visions involving deceased loved ones, bright lights, open doors and staircases are among the experiences frequently reported by people nearing the end of their lives, according to research into end-of-life dreams and visions.
Researchers from Azienda USL–IRCCS di Reggio Emilia in Italy examined reports from palliative care professionals about the experiences of terminally ill patients during their final days. Their findings suggest that these dreams and visions are often vivid and, in many cases, comforting rather than frightening.
The study, published in the journal Death Studies, was based on responses from 239 palliative care professionals, including doctors, nurses, psychologists and hospice volunteers.
One of the most common themes reported was the appearance of people who had already died. Patients often described seeing deceased spouses, parents, other relatives or even much-loved pets.
In one reported experience, a woman dreamed that her late husband appeared to her and told her that he was waiting for her.
Other patients experienced symbolic images that appeared to represent a transition or journey. These included staircases, thresholds, open doors filled with light and people moving towards bright spaces.
Some experiences were more unusual and dreamlike, including an account of a white horse running along a shoreline.
The researchers suggested that these end-of-life dreams and visions may provide an important way for patients to explore difficult emotions surrounding death. Because such experiences can communicate through symbols rather than ordinary conversation, they may allow people to express fears, hopes and unresolved feelings that can be difficult to put into words.
The researchers believe these experiences could therefore help some terminally ill patients process their emotions and come to terms with their circumstances in ways that conventional conversations may not always achieve.
Although many of the experiences were described as peaceful or comforting, the study found that not every vision was positive. Around one in 10 reported experiences were distressing.
One particularly disturbing account involved a patient seeing a monster with her mother's face dragging her down.
According to the researchers, frightening experiences could potentially point to unmet emotional or clinical needs. These may include unresolved personal conflicts, traumatic memories or physical pain.
Study leader Elisa Rabitti noted that end-of-life dreams and visions still lack a clear cultural and clinical understanding, despite reports suggesting that they occur relatively frequently among people approaching death.
The findings are consistent with earlier research indicating that dreams involving deceased loved ones are relatively common among terminally ill people and may become more frequent as death draws closer.
Christopher Kerr, chief medical officer of Hospice Buffalo in New York and an expert who has studied end-of-life experiences, said it is particularly interesting that the people who appear in these experiences are often those who provided the patient with love and a sense of security during their lives.
The study also found that dreams involving preparation for death were common. Some patients described experiences involving packing belongings, preparing for a journey or getting onto a bus, which may symbolically represent the feeling of preparing to leave.
Kerr also noted that some veterans experience end-of-life dreams in which past wounds, difficult experiences or emotional burdens appear to be addressed.
Overall, the researchers say these vivid dreams and visions may play a meaningful role in how some people approach the end of life. While the experiences vary greatly from person to person and should not be interpreted as proof of what happens after death, the research suggests that they can sometimes provide comfort, emotional processing and a sense of connection during a person's final days.
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