Hospice doctor explains what happens when we take our last breath: 'It's so not like on the television'

Death remains a mysterious and taboo topic. However, several experts have taken it upon themselves in recent years to educate others on the process of dying, so it may become less scary. Dr. Kathryn Mannix gave a TED talk explaining what happens when we die. Here's what she said.

Humans are the only animals capable of understanding death

In November 2022, Kathryn Mannix explained that, as humans, we are the only species capable of understanding that we will eventually die. However, this does not stop us from feeling terrified about the prospect, as she explains:

Human beings are the only animals capable of contemplating their own mortality, and they've been doing that for thousands of years. And yet somehow, in the very recent past, we have lost the practical wisdom of what happens as people die.

During her five years at medical school, Dr. Mannix learned how to 'stop people from dying', but she did not have any knowledge of how to care for a patient whose death was imminent. After wanting to pursue a career in cancer medicine, she actually turned to palliative care. There, she learned that educating patients about the process of dying could bring them peace and comfort.

What happens when we die?

While all dying patients are unique, the pattern of dying is very similar for everyone. Dr. Kathryn Mannix explains:

We see people becoming more and more tired. It's harder and harder for them to find the energy to do things. [...] As time goes by, people sleep more, and they're awake less.

However, as doctors have noticed, people are not actually asleep, but rather unconscious. According to Dr. Mannix:

At the very end of somebody's life, they're not just asleep, they're actually deeply unconscious, and when the brain is unconscious, the only part of it that's still working is the part that's working their breathing.

Unconscious dying patients actually breathe differently than when they're awake, with very deep breaths that slow down before becoming faster again. They are actually breathing through their voice box, which makes them make a noise known as the death rattle, as sort of groaning. Fluid such as saliva builds up in the throat, making them sound as if they are drowning, but it is harmless and does not endanger their breathing.

Then, Dr. Mannix explains how patients take their last breath:

During the process of slow breathing, there'll be a breath out, that just isn't followed by a breath in. There is nothing special about the last breath. It's so not like on the television or in cinema.

Read more:

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Visioning: Hospice nurse explains this common phenomenon which happens weeks before dying

Sources used:

YouTube: What Happens As We Die? | Kathryn Mannix | TED