Is death painful? Insights from experts and those who have experienced near-death
What happens when we die? It's a question that haunts us all, and one that we may never truly know the answer to until the time comes.
Death is certain for all of us, one way or another, and we usually don’t get to know what it feels like until the time comes. It’s something a lot of us fear, whether it’s dying naturally or from an accident or an illness.
But what exactly does dying feel like, and is there any way of truly knowing before we reach our end date?
When you die your physical body stops working to survive and live, and you eventually breathe your last breath. All vital organs cease to work, including your brain and heart, including the body systems powered by these organs.
Your body usually goes through different stages before you die, unless the event is particularly sudden. You might start to process sensory information differently, for example, certain sounds may appear more threatening than usual. Some people even report experiencing hallucinations before death, and this is normally due to the surge of chemicals the brain releases before death.
One of the questions that people are most likely to ask, is whether the process of death is painful or not.
Experts at the Cleveland Clinic say that this all depends on how you die, whether it is sudden or slow. In the case of trauma or an accident occurring, that can make the process more painful.
“Often, dying bodies fight to survive. The survival instinct programmed into our bodies can feel painful without medications. For example, a body that’s losing a life-threatening amount of blood will automatically direct the limited blood supply to vital organs.
“This response keeps these organs alive, but those body parts deprived of blood (like your arms and legs) may hurt. In emergencies like these, medical professionals are trained to try to save your life and lessen your pain,” says the website.
This being said lots of people who have survived near-death experiences report feeling calming sensations when nearing death.
One Reddit user on the threat ‘Those who have died before, what did it feel like and how did you die?’ described nearly dying from anaphylaxis as feeling “sleepy. It was peaceful, I kinda liked it and now I am not afraid to die.”
Another person said, “A guy I used to work with did a lot of sailing and actually drowned once before being resuscitated. He said that the last thing he remembered before going out was this feeling of absolutely peaceful serenity.”
One thing’s for sure, questions about death don’t usually have straightforward answers. It’s such a mysterious process, and once you're dead, you can’t tell anyone about it.
However, having a clearer understanding of death can help you come to terms with the process, whether it be for your end of life or for someone you love.
