I am new to this site and looking for help. I am in my 30's and never experienced such vivid dreams. My maternal gm passed away in Sept. 08 after a long battle with cancer. Grandpa passed away Dec. 08. He has had many medical problems for as long as I can remember. I was not terribly shocked when either of them died. Sad, of course but I was glad they were no longer suffering.

the dreams started first after gm passed. It was early morning, (felt more like I was awake than asleep) and I vividly recall seeing her face. She spoke to me and said she was okay and smiled. I asked her "then why are you crying"? She said "I'm not" and continued to smile. I realized the tear I saw on her face were from my own eyes. I woke up in a startle and when I did, there were actually tears on my face!

Now, the past couple months my dreams are getting frightening. I don't see them, but I dream of their house, specifically the living room. And each dream I know they are gone and have no idea what I am doing there.

This morning, I woke at 5:30 am and since I have been having alot of anxiety associated with sleeping lately, I called my dog up on my bed (which is very rare) and fell back to sleep. I woke up less than an hour later and again, the dream had felt like I was more awake than asleep ( I was in the exact same position I fell to sleep in). I was again, at my gp's house in the living room and felt like someone was in the bedroom next to it. It was night and next thing I know, I am in my car WITH my dog lying down in the seat next to me and I woke up as I was trying to back out of the drive way.

Its not so much the content of my dreams as to the panic and anxiety surrounding my sleep now. I used to be a sound sleeper, not afraid of the dark or "bumps in the night". My life is good otherwise and I am happy in my marriage, family etc.

These dreams you are having in the morning have a name. I forget it now, but you get them on the cusp on waking and they can be very vivid, and seem real.

One thing you can try next time it happens is to try to communicate with the characters in a conscious manner. Realize that you are dreaming and talk to your grands and see what they tell you. They may have some words of wisdom.

Has your work or school schedule changed recently around the time of your grandpa's passing? That will have an affect on your dreams in the morning as well.