Final moments of life
Thinking about the very last moments of life is hard, but knowing what to expect may ease some of the anxiety. There are changes that commonly happen near to the time of death, signalling the final moments. It may also be reassuring to know that for most people with a terminal illness, the final moments are very peaceful.
If you don’t feel ready to read this information just yet, you can come back to it at any time.
Loss of consciousness
Most people lose consciousness near the end of their life. But there may still be some awareness of other people in the room, and hearing what’s being said. This can be a good time to say some last words to relatives or friends and hold their hand.
Skin changes
The skin can change colour and limbs, hands and feet may feel colder, because the blood circulation is slowing down.
Breathing
Breathing may become loud and noisy if a lot of mucous has built up in the lungs and airways. It’s not a medical term but some people call this the death rattle. You may find some of the breathing patterns alarming or distressing but they generally don’t cause any discomfort.
As the moment of death comes nearer, breathing usually slows down and becomes irregular. It might stop and then start again or there might be long pauses between breaths. This can happen quickly, or it can take a long time before breathing finally stops.
Moment of death
It’s not always clear when the exact moment of death occurs. When a person dies, those around them may notice that their face suddenly relaxes and looks peaceful. On the rare occasion this is not the case, it’s unlikely that the person will have been aware of what’s happened.
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