Relaxation of the muscles occurs right before someone passes away, which is then followed by rigor mortis, or the stiffening of the body. This relaxation impacts the muscles in the eyes and can cause some to open their eyes right before passing, and remain open after passing.
The practice of forcing eyelids closed immediately after death, sometimes using coins to lock the eyelids closed until rigor mortis intervenes, has been common in many cultures. Open eyes at death may be interpreted as an indication that the deceased is fearful of the future, presumably because of past behaviors.
As death nears, a person's eyes may stay open, without blinking. There may be long pauses between breaths. You also may notice some of the following skin changes, which occur as blood circulation slows: The skin may become blue and blotchy.
Visions and Hallucinations
Visual or auditory hallucinations are often part of the dying experience. The appearance of family members or loved ones who have died is common. These visions are considered normal. The dying may turn their focus to “another world” and talk to people or see things that others do not see.
Agonal breathing or agonal gasps are the last reflexes of the dying brain. They are generally viewed as a sign of death, and can happen after the heart has stopped beating.
In the hours before death, most people fade as the blood supply to their body declines further. They sleep a lot, their breathing becomes very irregular, and their skin becomes cool to the touch. Those who do not lose consciousness in the days before death usually do so in the hours before.
They might close their eyes frequently or they might be half-open. Facial muscles may relax and the jaw can drop. Skin can become very pale. Breathing can alternate between loud rasping breaths and quiet breathing.
“Our data shows that a dying brain can respond to sound, even in an unconscious state, up to the last hours of life.”
Although we know that we cannot bring back the past, we ache and hurt because we want their comforting presence in our lives forever. It is very important to grieve when we lose someone. Grieving makes us tender and brings us close to our heart.
Changing vital signs
As a person approaches death, their vital signs may change in the following ways: blood pressure drops. breathing changes. heartbeat becomes irregular.
So with simple bedside observations, a clinician can predict what is going to happen to the patient by detecting the signs, such as respiration with mandibular movement, which essentially means the jaw drops during breathing. This is a telltale sign that the patient will die in the next few days.
Between a half hour to three hours after death, the eyelid loses its elasticity, the pupil dilates and there is a distinct change in the cornea, which is normally transparent. The exact timing of these changes depends on the state of the eyes (open or closed), ambient temperature, and humidity.
The dying person will feel weak and sleep a lot. When death is very near, you might notice some physical changes such as changes in breathing, loss of bladder and bowel control and unconsciousness. It can be emotionally very difficult to watch someone go through these physical changes.
A gurgling sound that comes from the back of the throat of a dying person. It is caused by the build-up of saliva and mucus in the throat and upper airways when the person is too weak to cough.
Your loved ones eyes are closed using glue or plastic eye caps that sit on the eye and hold the eyelid in place. The lower jaw is secured by wires or sewing. Once the jaw is secured the mouth can be manipulated into the desired position.
Fully developed rigor mortis is an easily identifiable and reliable indicator that death has occurred. The time of onset is variable but it is usually considered to appear between 1 and 6 hours (average 2–4 hours) after death. Depending on the circumstances, rigor mortis may last for a few hours to several days.
The reasons why death is scary are often related to the fears of the unknown, of non-existence, of eternal punishment, of the loss of control, and fear of what will happen to the people we love.
Grief is a natural human experience, and crying is the ultimate healer. We cry at the death of those we know and love as an expression of our grief. Tears can transform suffering and help us pick up the pieces to move forward in our sadness.
Does everyone get pain when they are dying? No – not everyone gets pain in their last weeks, days or hours of life. Some people have no pain at all. However, we know that many people with a terminal illness do experience pain.
Research suggests that even as your body transitions into unconsciousness, it's possible that you'll still be able to feel comforting touches from your loved ones and hear them speaking. Touch and hearing are the last senses to go when we die.
“First hunger and then thirst are lost. Speech is lost next, followed by vision. The last senses to go are usually hearing and touch.”
As the blood pools, patches appear on the skin within 30 minutes of death. About two to four hours postmortem, these patches join up, creating large dark purplish areas towards the bottom of the body and lightening the skin elsewhere. This may be less apparent on darker skin. This process is called livor mortis.
The most overwhelming and common reaction to a sudden death is shock and uncertainty. This results in feeling disconnected to your feelings or to other people; it can seem as if you are living in a dream. The initial news and stages of grief are often characterized by disbelief.
For the first few minutes of the postmortem period, brain cells may survive. The heart can keep beating without its blood supply. A healthy liver continues breaking down alcohol. And if a technician strikes your thigh above the kneecap, your leg likely kicks, just as it did at your last reflex test with a physician.
Decomposition begins several minutes after death with a process called autolysis, or self-digestion. Soon after the heart stops beating, cells become deprived of oxygen, and their acidity increases as the toxic by-products of chemical reactions begin to accumulate inside them.