Final moments of life

For most people, the final moments of life are very peaceful, with their breathing becoming gradually slower and more irregular, before stopping. With some people this seems to take a long time, while for others it happens over a few minutes.

It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact moment of death. Often the person’s body will relax completely and their face will look very peaceful. People often say that they can sense when the person’s consciousness has gone from the body.

In some cultures and religions, it is believed that the person’s mind (consciousness) stays around the body for some time after death. In other cultures and religions, it is thought that the consciousness moves on to another place quickly. Some people believe that once the person has died there is nothing left of their mind (consciousness).

Condition-specific information

Further information on conditions that may be affecting you or those around you:

Support Groups

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Last updated: 15 January 2012

This content was supplied by Macmillan Cancer Support.