What happens in the body after death
As soon as the heart stops beating, a natural process begins: autolysis , or cellular self-decomposition.
Deprived of oxygen, the cells slowly break down.
This process can last for several hours, or even several days, depending on the body’s temperature and conditions.
The brain , however, does not shut down instantly.
A study conducted at Western University in 2018 detected electrical signals up to ten minutes after clinical death .
This fuels the idea that some form of activity — or residual consciousness — could persist briefly after death.
And what about conscience in all of this?
This is where science and spirituality brush against each other without ever merging.
Researchers still don’t have a definitive answer about the survival of consciousness after death.
Near-death experiences (NDEs) , described by thousands of people, remain a mystery: sensations of lightness, intense light, feelings of peace…
Neuroscientists propose a biological explanation: at the moment of death, the brain releases substances like DMT and serotonin , causing these soothing visions.
In other words, what some interpret as a spiritual experience could also be a chemical reaction of the brain at the end of life .
Three days to “leave”: between science and traditions
While science remains cautious, spiritual traditions have long had their own interpretations of the “time of the soul”.
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