where do we actually go when we die

it's heartbreaking and indeed very

frightening when you see news flashes of

death tolls all around the world

globally about 60 million people die

annually which brings us to about 213

deaths every minute in 2023 these huge

scary figures could have you thinking

about when it'd be your turn whether the

next minute or not one sure thing is

that death is inevitable but what

happens before during and after death is

there actually an afterlife Journey with

me as I walk you through what actually

happens when you die

while you spend away your day in your

favorite game room eating pizza and

gaming with your friends some people are

busy hanging out on beaches While others

spend their day making money and

planning how to grow their businesses

but do you know that some other people

have devoted themselves to courses that

would take them their entire life to

study these exceptional individuals are

driven by great curiosity and passion to

bring answers to several questions that

seem unexplained to humans one of such

people is samparnia MD PhD associate

professor of medicine and director of

critical care at resuscitation research

at NYU langone I bet you don't know what

happens to you when you die well you'll

know now thanks to samparnia samparnia

conducted new research with the goal of

developing measurements and methods to

better capture end-of-life phenomena

like cognitive Lucidity and identifying

Innovative strategies to improve the

quality of resuscitation following

Cardiac Arrest because of the bra

broadness of this study Sam parnia

worked hand in hand with several

professionals including specialists in

geriatrics dementia neurology Psychiatry

Rehabilitation medicine population

health and several professionals from

other organizations this lengthy and

productive research was named the

awareness study if you want to find out

what the awareness study was all about

and the end result of the study you

gotta watch till the end meanwhile a

total of 330 patients were successfully

revived in the participating facilities

during the awareness studies

standardization of care for the relevant

patients however 140 interviews were

eventually conducted owing to the sad

fact that some of the participants

regrettably passed away shortly after or

were unable to participate in the study

due to their health more than 50

patients admitted that they had memories

of being unconscious during the

interviews and nine of these incidents

fit the description of near-death

experiences during their resuscitation

two participants also claimed to have

had out of body and audio-visual

perceptions furthermore one of the

survivors described her experience as

being on the treatment room ceiling and

helplessly staring down at her own body

while the event unfolded just as this

participant could actually watch the

doctors and their aides at work another

later described how he saw as his blood

pressure was taken and how a nurse gave

him a chest compression another test

subject also recounted a similar

experience in which he was just above

the scene and saw the medical

professionals performing resuscitation

while the patient a 57-year-old British

man from Southampton detailed the

medical professionals who treated him in

great detail to the surprise and belief

of everyone his claims were further

verified and proven to be accurate does

this mean that dead people or those on

the verge of death actually knew what

was going on even after they were dead

well medical professionals generally

believe that a person's brain is only

actively functioning for for about 30

seconds following their last heartbeat

which is what happened to the

corresponding man from Southampton

however the study's administrators were

able to piece together his descriptions

to determine whether his experience had

persisted even after three minutes and

after all double checks claims seemed to

last for about three minutes which is

quite outstanding in the Intensive Care

units of the participating hospitals

unique picture boards were installed in

a way that the only person who could see

them was an observer floating on the

ceiling due to their alignment the

ceiling installations were positioned by

the study's designers in locations that

out-of-body experiencers frequently

identify there were about a thousand of

these panels set up altogether yet it

was so sad that about 78 percent of all

patients were resuscitated in a space

that was devoid of the necessary

pictures and symbols at the time this

also applied to the two participants who

were present and reported their

audio-visual perceptions of the

resuscitation procedures finally none of

the study participants were able to

recall anything regarding the subsequent

ceiling installations because they

weren't resuscitated where the picture

boards were placed

the aware study which implies awareness

during resuscitation examines the brain

and Consciousness during Cardiac Arrest

including evaluating the veracity of

perceptions during the out-of-body

portion of near-death experiences as the

lead researcher Dr Sam parnia is

responsible for putting together a

unique team of devoted forward thinkers

and world-class professionals who

undoubtedly help him achieve the results

the initial findings from the study's

first four years were released in

December and were published in the

medical journal

140 of the 2060 patients who experienced

cardiac arrests throughout the study

survived and were able to be interviewed

nine patients with an nde were found

among the 101 patients who had gone

through interviews two of the nine empty

ears had special memories and were

conscious of their surroundings one end

Year's experience was confirmed to be

true but the other was too unwell to

participate in a thorough interview

further confirmation of awareness was

not feasible because these two ndes took

place in non-acute locations without a

visual goal it is necessary to do

additional research and possibly

re-evaluate the methods and objectives

of the study a fascinating feature of

the aware study however didn't provide

the outcomes that had been anticipated

in the lead up to the research series

what was the outcome of the aware study

the major goals of the aware study are

to establish a methodology to verify the

veracity of claims a visual and auditory

perception during cardiac arrest and to

examine the prevalence of Consciousness

and the range of mental experiences

during CA resuscitation 2060 patients

from 15 institutions in the UK the U.S

and Austria were investigated throughout

the first four years of the study which

started in 2008 interviews with

survivors of cardiac arrest were

conducted in three stages the first was

to ascertain the existence of memories

or perceptions from the ca secondly to

ascertain whether the Recollections or

perceptions constituted in nde with or

without auditory or visual awareness and

finally to ascertain the veracity of any

auditory visual impressions of the

physical environments that were

experienced during the nde at each

Hospital 50 to 100 shelves were placed

close to the ceiling of areas where ca

resuscitation was expected to to take

place in order to evaluate the veracity

of claims of visual awareness an image

that could only be seen from above each

shelf was systematically placed if

enough ndes emerged in which individual

patients had visual awareness from a

vantage point that was high enough to

sufficiently see the image the photos on

the shelves would be able to verify the

veracity of the claims of accurate VA

according to the study's hypothesis only

140 of the 2060 study participants

survived and were healthy enough to

participate in a stage one interview 39

of these 140 candidates largely due to

exhaustion could not complete the stage

2 interview only nine of the remaining

101 patients who had stage 2 interviews

were determined to have experienced an

nde and only two of these nine ND years

mentioned memories of auditory or visual

awareness of the outside world

unfortunately one of these two was

unable to proceed with a thorough stage

3 interview owing to Ill illness the

impressions of CA occurrences in the

other patients were confirmed the

patient actually experienced a lot of

euphoria during the nde as he said he

could hear voices he said he heard a

machine voice saying shocked the patient

according to the patient he stood up

close to the ceiling and peered down at

his actual body the nurse and another

man who was bald and quite a chunky

gentleman dressed in blue scrubs and a

blue hat because of the location of the

Hat the patient could see the man was

bald to further confirm that he was

conscious the patient recognized the

bald man who assisted him during the

resuscitation the following day the

identification of the guy who performed

the resuscitation was supported by the

medical record which also attested to

the use of an AED that would have

provided the automated instructions the

patient would have heard sadly further

examination of the accuracy of va was

not possible because both cases of CA

and ndes with auditory visual awareness

took place in non-acute parts of the

hospital without shelves conclusively

the study's authors came to the

following consensus that in a few

instances of cardiac arrest memories of

visual awareness consistent with

so-called out-of-body experiences May

match actual occurrences also some

anti-ears may have vivid near-death

experiences but they may not remember

them as a result of brain damage or the

impact of sedative medicines on memory

Pathways a true impartial investigation

deserves to be conducted into the

recalled experience surrounding the

death considering the one instance of

cardiac arrest that was timed and

validated using auditory stimuli parnia

came to the conclusion that it was very

much significant as it has generally

been considered that these experiences

are likely hallucinations or Illusions

happening either before the heart stops

or after the heart has been successfully

revived but not an experience coinciding

with real events while the heart isn't

beating in this example there was no

heartbeat speed for 3 minutes and

Consciousness and awareness seemed to

occur during that time this is

counterintuitive because the brain

usually stops working 20 to 30 seconds

after the heart stops and doesn't start

up again until the heart starts again

also the specific accounts of visual

awareness in this case were congruent

with the events that were corroborated

so even though it was difficult to

verify Beyond a doubt the truth or

significance of the patient's

experiences and claims of Consciousness

it was also impossible to refute them

and additional research is required in

this area it is obvious that the

remembered incident involving the death

now justifies additional impartial

sincere examination Dr parnia has

pioneered Research into the remembered

experiences of death over the past 20

years focusing particularly on people

who survived Cardiac Arrest the

groundbreaking parnia lab investigation

to where one and aware two closely

explored the experiences of hundreds of

cardiac arrest patients who had bio

logically passed the threshold of death

before being revived several survivors

described having clear organized mental

processes which was only one of the

fascinating results after meeting their

deceased relatives they discussed how

they had treated others throughout their

life and many of them remembered

specifics of how they had been revived

the National Institutes of Health became

interested in the lab's compelling study

after discovering paradoxical Lucidity a

similar but less well-known phenomenon

among individuals with severe dementia

caretakers frequently described that

these patients start to experience

sporadic bursts of verbal and cognitive

Clarity especially as they get closer to

the end of their lives how you maintain

Lucidity when the brain is thought to

not be functional is the common

unanswered question for each of these

fields of study according to Dr parnia a

significant portion of those who

experience this have end-stage severe

dementia and may have been completely

Lucid for years Dr parnia and colleagues

worked tirelessly to develop the first

definition and measurement scale for the

pl phenomenon as part of a five-year

National Institute on an aging Grant the

resultant outcome is that it is possible

to discover novel avenues for clarity in

dementia patients we might be able to

develop novel therapies for mental

illnesses and gain a deeper

comprehension of the cognitive

experience of dying or how it feels to

approach death which could indeed

Advance several goals Dr parnia's team

worked with geriatrics and dementia

Specialists from NYU langone including

Lindsay J goren MD assistant professor

of Neurology Psychiatry and

Rehabilitation medicine and Joshua

chodash MD the Michael L Friedman

professor of geriatric research and

professor of population Health several

professionals from other organizations

such as the Hospice Services of the

Visiting Nurse Service of New York also

took part together they successfully

monitor roughly 500 terminally sick

dementia patients with a week or less to

live each subject would be attached to

an in-home video

electroencephalography device by the

researchers which simultaneously records

video and audio of the patient while

measuring brain electrical activity Dr

parnia explained that this adaptation in

technology would allow them to be

watching the patients so if a sign was

ever seen that looks like paradoxical or

terminal Lucidity it could be captured

so that they could understand what it

looks and sounds like as well as the

underlying brain indicators that no one

has ever understood in addition carers

will be required to complete a

symptomatic diary or patient logs of

their observations for the Innovative

study and to note any incidences they

believe to be suggestive of PL in their

loved ones the researchers will then

review the EEG data to determine if any

electrocortical biomarkers may be used

to predict brain activity before during

or after a period of PL these Lucid

episodes may be associated with spikes

in electrocortical activity According to

some findings which may provide

mechanistic insights and biological

plausibility for PL in severe dementia

that could be important because

according to Dr parnia if they could

find some structural change then they

might be able to use that as a novel

therapeutic Target for people who

frequently suffer from Dementia or some

other Consciousness disorders by maybe

activating the circuit or giving them

more Lucidity so what actually happens

when you die

your most vital organs stop keeping you

alive at the time of death meaning that

they failed to keep you alive many

people think that death is instant

however this study reveals that death is

more of a gradual process the precise

moment of death is frequently only one

stage of a longer process called dying

during which your body gradually shuts

down when the time comes being prepared

with knowledge of what to expect before

during and even after death can help you

deal with the experience what really

happens to your physical body after

death

when a person passes away their physical

body has ceased to function as a lining

entity meaning that one's final breath

is taken away your heart ceases to beat

your mind freezes and your liver and

kidneys among other important organs

stop functioning when all these organs

shut down it renders all of your body's

systems incapable of continuing the

usual activities known as living this

study reveals that even death is a

process it is simpler to comprehend the

changes your body experiences as it

passes from life to death when you think

of death as a series of dying

occurrences Your Existence depends on

bodily functions that are in operation

from the moment you take a breath until

the moment you die the final necessary

function that your body performs for you

is dying how long does it take to die

the fact remains that each person has a

unique chronology your condition the

medications you're taking and the reason

for death will all affect how long it

takes for your body to pass away for

instance if abrupt Cardiac Arrest is

left untreated death can occur within

minutes when you have a chronic

long-term illness it could take your

body weeks or even months to pass away

heart disease chronic lung disease and

cancer are among the leading causes of

death in the world but are frequently

curable the different therapies we have

in our world today both postpone death

and lengthen the dying process it

becomes simpler to spot typical warning

signals of impending death as a result

of this slowdown what happens to your

body before death

your body's vital processes begin to

deteriorate and eventually stop when you

have a chronic illness or die naturally

however before you die your body May

begin to experience some of the

following

you experience less physical activity

and more sleep

you don't sleep to rejuvenate your body

and mind as you approach death instead

you fall asleep as a result of a lack of

energy in your body your body's ability

to circulate oxygen-rich blood is

reduced by your heart summarily if you

aren't getting enough oxygen the cells

in your body will lack the energy to

keep you awake and active for extended

periods rest is a crucial component of

dying

you experience decreased appetite and

thirst

a body that is dying doesn't require as

much nutrition as a body that isn't

dying in the few days weeks or months

leading up to your death your appetite

May drastically decline you can find it

more difficult for your digestive system

to metabolize the food you eat you might

eventually stop having an appetite from

the onset children are taught by

caretakers from the moment they are born

that receiving care or food is both an

act of love and survival your loved ones

might suggest that you eat because of

this when it's appropriate to use

artificial feeding technology such as a

feeding tube and when food could be

excessively large for your digestive

system to manage your Healthcare

practitioner can provide advice

you experience difficulty controlling

your bowel and bladder

you can have trouble passing stool as

your digestive system slows down

constipation is a typical sign of

terminal illness your pelvic floor

muscles which control when you urinate

may also be less under your control

however constipation can be relieved

using stool softeners should you have a

problem controlling your stool your bed

can stay tidy if you use supplies like

incontinence pads and medical equipment

like Foley catheters which assist you to

urinate

you experience deterioration of your

skin and muscles

when you're gradually dying it's normal

to lose weight in muscular Mass even

talking while lying in bed might cause

your muscles to become exhausted your

skin thins because new skin cells don't

replace dying ones as quickly Cuts

bruising and bed sores are more likely

to occur in those with thin skin in

order to prevent your skin from staying

in touch with your bed for an extended

period your Healthcare professional and

loved ones can reposition you and check

your skin for infections they can

frequently hydrate your skin to help you

Shield it from harm

you begin to detach and withdraw from

things

as you're dying it's typical to show

less interest in things you once loved

you could favor Solitude over social

interaction it is not a sign of a

diminished love for friends or family if

you crave less social engagement it may

just be a dying sign as your body

evolves so do your needs

you experience irregular vital signs

blood pressure respiration rate

temperature and pulse are examples of

your Vital Signs these figures represent

the condition of your brain heart and

other life-supporting organs your body

temperature declines as you approach

death and your skin may feel clammy or

cold to the touch when your organs fight

to keep you alive even as you're on the

verge of passing away other ones may be

irregular or unpredictable your

breathing rate will gradually slow as

you get closer to the end

you begin to experience unnecessary

agitation

after extended stretches of Slumber

sudden spurts of energy or a Restless

mood May indicate that death is imminent

you'd probably believe strongly that you

are capable of things that you were not

you might even try to get out of bed or

take any necessary medical equipment

like an IV sometimes you can lose

patience with those who are trying to

take care of you

changes in how you perceive your

surroundings

it's possible that your brain no longer

processes sensory data in the same way a

noise that once appeared natural for

example can now seem ominous or

frightening you could begin to see

things that others don't appear to

notice it's possible that these

perception changes are more obvious at

night than during the day According to

some research your brain releases an

increase in chemicals as death draws

near heightening your perceptions and

maybe causing you to experience hyper

reality for instance dying individuals

frequently describe seeing a brilliant

light or they could imagine themselves

embarking on a journey to meet up with a

loved one who has passed away

you experience periods of

unconsciousness

you might fall asleep and become

unconscious as your death draws near

similar to going into a coma or dreaming

and you might not even remember being

unconscious when you wake up later

according to research you might still be

able to hear your loved one's voices and

feel their reassuring touches as your

body drifts into Slumber because the

final sense is to leave at death are the

sense of touch and hearing

you experience changes in your breathing

how near to death you are can be

determined by your respiratory patterns

unpredictable breathing is frequently a

symptom of ill health or death whereas

regular steady breathing is a sign of

life and good health you might stop

breathing for longer periods as death

approaches as you breathe you might hear

a rattling sound often referred to as a

death rattle if saliva has accumulated

in the back of your throat this happens

because the muscles there aren't strong

enough to allow you to swallow you'll

eventually take your last breath

what really happens to your body during

death

your body's critical processes

completely halt when you die first the

breath stops the brain follows and then

the heart stops beating research shows

that a person's brain could still be

active for some minutes even after

medical professionals have pronounced

him or her dead yet brain activity is

distinct from Consciousness or awareness

however this doesn't mean that the dead

knows what is going on around them or is

conscious of their passing some death

symptoms include breathlessness feeling

no pulse unresponsive reflexes to

testing and pupils that do not enlarge

or dilate in response to intense light

what happens to your body after death

after you pass away your body goes

through several changes as it adapts to

its new situation some of these changes

include

your body temperature Falls below normal

just within an hour of passing your body

temperature drops by around 1.5 degrees

Fahrenheit which is equivalent to

negative

16.9444 degrees Celsius your body

temperature will eventually equal that

of your environment

your muscles become relaxed

as soon as you die your muscles start to

relax relieving any pressure on your

bowels and bladder because of this many

people pee and poop as they pass away

also if your skin is sagging it will be

simpler to see the underbone structure

of your body

your body experiences downward pressure

on your blood

after death it may feel as if your blood

is forced toward the Earth and lowered

by gravity and in the areas where blood

gathers your skin may appear purplish

red

your body experiences stiffness

in the initial stage of stiffness the

face and neck areas of your body become

rigid the rigidity progressively spreads

from the center of your body to your

arms legs and finally your toes and

fingers

you experience relaxation once more

your body's tissue begins to degrade

just a few days later which causes the

stiff areas to relax once more

does the dyeing process really hurt

well whether it hurts or not varies and

depends on the individual both life and

death may be accompanied by pain you may

feel a variety of pain Sensations in

death just as you experience numerous

forms of pain in life ranging from the

type of pain to how powerful it seems

how you die and whether or not you have

access to painkillers will both play a

big part in your situation in their

final moments bodies frequently struggle

to survive without proper medication the

possibility of survival in our bodies is

very low for instance when a body is

losing a life-threatening amount of

blood it will instantly shift the scarce

blood flow to the most important organs

these organs remain alive because of

this reaction however the blood-starved

body parts like your legs and arms could

feel pain medical personnel is better

prepared and equipped to try to save

your life and decrease your discomfort

in real emergencies like these experts

and medical practitioners who provide

Hospice Care are especially skilled in

ensuring you're comfortable and feel

cared for while you pass away they are

aware of your body's pain producing

survival mechanisms and offer soothing

medications to help