Do People Know that They Are Dying?

In a word, there’s no definitive answer to this question and it lacks scientific proof. Caregivers in hospice often claim that people under their care usually know when they’re going to die. People in their hospice beds undergo subtle transformations in mood and awareness during the last 72 hours of their life. Most people begin to speak in metaphors of going on a journey. Often, they haven’t said a word in days and suddenly start talking about travelling. It could be something inclined to getting train tickets, tide charts or hiking shoes. While this might sound delusional to the casual observer, this person is actually announcing their death. In a study conducted by Erlendur Haraldsson and Karlis Osis, both psychologists, it was confirmed that these intimations of a departure doesn’t only happen to people in hospice, but also in people who are not considered terminally ill. Sometimes these revelations come in the form of dreams. The revelations might also come in the form of a dream where you dream of going on a long journey, going back home or meeting up with people in your family who’ve departed.

“Having worked as a medical technologist for more than 30 years, I have drawn blood from several people in the ER and on the floor who said they were not going home. The test results said they were perfectly healthy. Sadly, they seemed to have been right. They breathed their last at the hospital.” –Greg

“Do people know when they are going to die? Unless death is sudden and unexpected, like in an accident, I believe most people know when it is coming. The mind prepares your body for death so that it is not as shocking as it would be. I’ve witnessed a ton of people who knew about their impending death well in advance” – Irene

“Many people will know when their time comes and some won’t. There are people who see it in their dreams, others get a feeling or it comes to them in a flash. Others just get the feeling of total peace. While many people fear death, I don’t. I often wonder how it would feel like to die. At one point I dreamed I was dying and I was gulping from breath. I woke up in shock. I guess it wasn’t my time yet. I believe in an after-life and we’ll meet our loved ones who have left before us. While I’m not too eager to die, I know it will happen at some point and I look forward to finding out what the after-life is like.” – Sam

“People do know when they are going to die if it is a slow decline. I say this because of my experience with my father. He seemed to know of his impending death weeks in advance. He was resigned to his fate and talked about it endlessly. He was not really happy about it. It so happens that my neighbor’s husband felt the same way just before he died. My mom also seemed to know although she was more fearful than my dad”. – Tim

“Several years ago, smack in the middle of September, my grandma gave us our Christmas money. She always gave us money rather than presents. We obviously found it weird she would give the money to us before Christmas. She breathed her last in October though she wasn’t ill.” – Paul

I used to work at a Palliative Cancer Center. The most amazing thing I witnessed was the peace of those who were dying. There was an uncharacteristic glow to their faces. Although they knew they were dying, they were at peace with it. One of the patients once asked me what it means when Jesus washes your feet. He later died with a huge smile on his face.

1. Physical Signs

The person’s skin can turn pale and paper-thin with dark liver spots on the feet, face and hands. The hair could also thin out and the person who’s about to die may become smaller in stature. There is a chance that the teeth can discolor and stain.

2. Sleep

The person might start sleeping for longer than usual. This might come as a shock to relatives and friends, but physical exertion for anyone who is about to die leaves them totally exhausted. This is because their body puts all effort into staying alive. As they approach the end, they might drift in and out of consciousness.

3. Language

Do people know when they are going to die? They might not know the exact time, but they will start talking about going on holiday, being collected, leaving, flying or making a journey. They may also start bidding farewell to friends and family.

4. Appetite

The body of a person who is nearing death no longer needs the energy food provides. They lose all desire to drink or eat. They might lose a lot of weight in a short time.

5. Reclusive

The person might not find joy in life and will spend all their time indoors without going anywhere. They might stay in bed or in their room all day.

6. Mental Disorientation and Confusion

When someone is about to die, their organs begin to fail. This includes the brain. They become confused and disoriented and might not respond or speak to people. They may also seem confused about time and act restless.

7. Labored Breathing

Breathing might become irregular, raggedy and labored. The person might experience a breathing pattern referred to as Cheyne-Stokes respiration whereby a deep and loud inhalation is followed by a moment (about 5 seconds to a minute) of not breathing. Breathing resumes with a deep, loud breath.

Can You Feel Whether Someone You Love Will Die?

Do people know when they are going to die? Yes they may, but do you? Sometimes, you can get a bad feeling that someone close to you is about to die. It can come in the form of a vision or dream. You might find yourself overcome by unexplainable sadness after thinking about someone close to you. There are many stories of people who knew about the impending death of a loved one. It is some sort of sixth sense and the work of subconsciousness.