Getting into Death

Transcription

There are probably few experiences you could have that would confuse your brain more than almost dying. Hey friends, Laci Green here for DNews. "Near death experiences" have been described by people across the world who came--or thought they were coming--within an inch of their life. What's totally crazy is that no matter who you are, where you come from---everyone describes it very similarly. It starts with a warmth spreading throughout their body, absolute serenity and calm, some might even call it nirvana. Then comes a bright light and a feeling of being detached from the body, as if you were floating. The number of people who have a near death experiences is on the rise, thanks to technologies that can save people at the last moment. Naturally, there's a burning question: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?? This is a complicated and emotionally charged question. For some, the near death experience is proof of the afterlife. For others, it's a fascinating neurological question. Let's take a look at this phenomenon through a scientific lens. One of the most highly regarded studies on NDEs comes from the University of Kentucky. They found that some Near Death Experiences may actually be something called REM intrusion. During REM intrusion, the mind awakes before the body, which can trigger hallucinations. It's sort of like dreaming - while you're awake, kind of. I covered this phenomenon in my video about sleep paralysis, so if you're interested you should definitely check that out cause it's freaky stuff. Because REM intrusion happens in the brainstem, it's possible for this to occur even when higher functioning parts of the brain have gone dead. Building on this research, trauma to the brain can result in a sensory mix-up. As your brain struggles to stay alive, all of that chaos results in an information overload in the visual cortex. This is known to produce visions of a bright light or a dark tunnel. The brain also releases a flood of happy endorphins which put you in a profound state of peace and calm. And because your brain is responsible for orienting your body relative to everything around you, trauma and oxygen deprivation can cause a sort of out of body experience. This has been observed in lots of people who aren't having a near death experience as well. Lastly, a new study has been published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on NDEs. The study was done on rats and found that after cardiac arrest, there is a crazy spike in neural activity. The lead author says that "if anything, the brain is much more active during the dying process than even the waking state". Essentially, the neurons go into overdrive as death sets in, causing the brain to go haywire in a predictable way - cue warmth, bright light, floating, etc. We perceive this experience with profound intensity as our brain takes a last hurrah before death. I can't decide if this is beautiful or terrifying or depressing or what. Let me know your thoughts about near death experiences down below or on our facebook page and I'll see you next time here on DNews!