what it is and why it appears

The euphoric feeling before death. Although most people experience an overwhelming wave of fear before death, some research suggests that our body can put us in a state of euphoria.

Why this happens appears to be multifaceted, with nutritional intake, brain wave activity, and the release of certain chemicals in the brain before death all being potential contributing factors.

Why does the feeling of euphoria occur before death

It is not uncommon for people at the end of life to voluntarily reduce their nutritional intake or abstain from eating and drinking, reports the Hospice Foundation of America.

Although this may worry loved ones, experts explain that these dying people do not feel that they are hungry or thirsty. Instead of experiencing discomfort, the dying person may instead experience a sense of calm or euphoria as a result of changes in metabolism in response to lack of food and fluid.

Alternatively, researchers in a 2013 animal study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that rats placed in a near-death state by experimental cardiac arrest immediately experienced an increase in brain gamma wave activity.

Gamma brain waves are associated with a heightened state of arousal, cognition and focus, explains WebMD. High levels of gamma wave activity have also been linked to increased feelings of happiness and responsiveness.

Chemical reactions that occur in the brain during the dying process

The release of hormones that occurs in the brain could also explain why a dying person may feel a sense of happiness in the final moments before death.

In a 2011 study published in Neuroscience Letters, researchers found that serotonin levels in rats tripled during the death process. Dubbed the “happiness hormone,” experts at the Cleveland Clinic explain that having healthy levels of serotonin promotes feelings of calmness and happiness.

Similar to the 2013 PNAS study, researchers in a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that rats in a near-death state through experimental cardiac arrest displayed increased levels of DMT in the brain.

WebMD explains that DMT is a natural compound in certain plants or animals that some people take as a medicine for its hallucinogenic and euphoric effects. Although it has been suggested that the pineal gland may be responsible for DMT secretions in the rat brain, it has not been definitively determined whether or not the human pineal gland produces DMT.

Therefore, experts suggest that we take such findings with a grain of salt, as there is not yet enough evidence to support these claims.