A specialist on dying has unveiled what death is like and has offered a glimpse of the many enigmas which come with it.
Death is inevitable for us, but scientists know very little about the process that drives it. Eventually, everyone’s experience of it varies, but there are a few things doctors have notices about death. Research on the natural occurrence is scarce and insular, which has led medical specialists publishing their experiences with patients.
An expert on palliative care said that the dying process normally takes place about two weeks before the heart stops beating. Seamus Coyle, an honorary research scientist at the University of Liverpool, explained the process of dying in an article published in The Conversation.
He said: “As an expert on palliative care, I think there is a process of dying that happens two weeks before we pass. During this time, people tend to become less well. They typically struggle to walk and become sleepier – managing to stay awake for shorter and shorter periods. Towards the last days of life, the ability to swallow tablets or consume food and drinks eludes them.”
Unpredictable Processes Are Involved During Death
According to the expert, it is around that particular time that they can affirm the patient is ‘actively dying,’ and they normally believe this means they have two or three days to live. Numerous people, however, experience this stage in a day, and some can resist for almost a week before they die.
Therefore, Mr. Coyle said there are various processes taking place with different people, which cannot be foreseen. What takes place in the body at the moment of death is mainly unclear, but some researches suggest that a flow of chemicals is released from the brain, such as endorphins, which is able to create a euphoric feeling.
Mr. Coyle said that the actual moment of death is difficult to see. But one unpublished research implies that on the process to death, there is a rise in the body’s stress chemicals. Overall, for patients suffering from some condition, the pain seems to decline during the process.
“We don’t know why that is – it could be related to endorphins. Again, no research has yet been done on this. Ultimately, every death is different – and you can’t predict who is going to have a peaceful death. I think some of those I have seen die didn’t benefit from a rush of feel-good chemicals,” Mr. Coyle explained.