Survivors of near-death experiences reveal what it’s like to ‘die’ – and it’s not distressing
IF there's one thing we can all be certain of, it's that at some point we will die.
And for most people, the mere prospect of death is a scary one.
But now, people who've suffered near death experiences 'NDEs', have revealed what it's really like to 'die', and why it should put your mind at rest for when your turn comes around.
A study published by researchers at of Medicine in the US, looked at people who had survived cardiac arrests.
The medics found that commonly, those who had NDEs said they would have "unique lucid experiences".
The survivors said these ranged from a feeling of being separated from the body to being able to observe ongoing events without feeling any distress.
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Other experiences include evaluating the meaning of life, including specific actions the participants may have taken during their lifetime.
Researchers also looked at brain activity during these NDEs and said there were 'spikes' up to an hour into when a patient was receiving life saving CPR.
They explained that some of these brain waves normally occur when people are conscious and are undertaking normal day-to-day tasks.
Study author, Dr Sam Parnia, at the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health said these recalled experiences and brain wave changes may be the first signs of the so-called near-death experience.
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";Our results offer evidence that while on the brink of death and in a coma, people undergo a unique inner conscious experience, including awareness without distress," he said.
Survivors were found to have an awareness of self and consciousness during these experiences.
Dr Parnia said that this suggests bodily functions might not completely stop around the time of death.
He said: "These lucid experiences cannot be considered a trick of a disordered or dying brain, but rather a unique human experience that emerges on the brink death."
'NOT SCARED'
One woman in the US previously revealed that she had died for 27 minutes during a cardiac arrest.
Tina Hines was revived several times and once at the hospital, the doctors used a defibrillator on her a sixth time - which brought her back.
While physically Tina, was struggling, she wasn't scared and said that what she experienced had blown her away.
What is a near death experience?
A near death experience (NDE) is classified as a life-transforming experience that can occur under extreme conditions in which no sensory experiences should be possible, medics at the University of Virginia state.
These conditions could include trauma, ceasing of brain activity, deep general anaesthesia or cardiac arrest, they said.
These experiences can differ from one person to another and in many cases, the experts said patients having an NDE will feel very comfortable and free of pain.
You might also experience a sensation of leaving the body, with some being able to see their physical body while floating above it.
Others may experience their mind functioning more clearly and rapidly than usual.
"Unbelievable rest and peacefulness of what I experienced was Jesus standing there with him arms open wide,” she said.
NDE are classed as a rarity, but one woman recently revealed that she spent five years in heaven when she died for 14 minutes in 2001.
Dr Lynda Cramer said that as paramedics rushed to save her, she felt as though she was in a different realm.
After being resuscitated, she was able to recall "being in heaven" - for what felt like five years - where she said she saw a mountain range that was 30,000 times higher than Mount Everest.
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Meanwhile, others have alleged they visited hell, including a man named .
In 1998, he died for 23 minutes and claimed he was "pulled into the depths of hell" where he saw a "pit of burning bodies".