More than half of Americans say they've been visited by dead relatives, whether in dreams or otherwise

Many Americans report to having ‘continued’ relationships with loved ones even after death, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.Over half (53%) of American adults say a deceased relative has visited them in a dream.

44% of those surveyed reported other connections with the dead, in the form of ‘feeling a presence,’ telling a dead loved one about their life, and/or having a dead relative communicate with them.

The results of the survey show that women are more likely than men to report these kinds of experiences. Interestingly, Pew also found that ‘people who are moderately religious are more likely than others – including those who are highly religious and those who are not religious – to have experienced these things.

’Catholics and Black Protestants are also more likely than Evangelical Protestants to have these experiences, per the study. 48% of religiously unaffiliated Americans have reported communication from dead relatives, but only 15% of people who proactively self-identify as atheists did.

It bears mentioning though that the survey was conducted in a ‘yes-no’ fashion, and did not ask respondents to explain their experiences. Therefore, some Americans might simply see ‘being visited’ as a pleasant dream, while others might think of it as an authentic message from beyond the grave.