I'm a hospice nurse - here are the three most surprising things I have learned about death

A hospice caregiver has revealed nan 3 things that shocked her nan astir about decease when she first started her profession - from group being capable to perceive moreover erstwhile they're unconscious to dehydration really making nan process little painful.

Julie McFadden, 41 - a registered nurse based successful Los Angeles, California, who specializes successful extremity of life attraction - has racked up hundreds of thousands of followers while sharing insights into people's last moments successful nan hopes of destigmatizing death.

Most recently, she uploaded a video to her YouTube transmission successful which she elaborate nan 3 astir astonishing things that she has learned astir what happens to nan assemblage earlier personification passes away.

'Here are nan astir astonishing things I've learned astir nan extremity of life,' she began successful nan clip, which has been viewed much than 23,000 times.

Julie explained that nan first point astir decease that astonished her was that it's believed that group connected nan brink of passing distant tin still perceive - moreover erstwhile they're unconscious.

'When personification is unconscious and not responding to america we do judge they tin perceive us,' she explained. 

'There person been studies done wherever group were dying and they had EKGS connected their brains which showed that nan proceeding sensor was nan past to unopen down.'

She suggested that you ever 'talk to your loved 1 for illustration they are there,' alternatively than speaking astir them for illustration they've already passed away.

'Say nan things you request and want to say,' she added. 'And don't talk astir your loved 1 for illustration they aren't there.

'As a hospice nurse, I ever effort to speak to nan diligent for illustration they could reply maine back. 

'And I'll talk to nan loved ones astir nan bedside for illustration nan personification is still location because studies person shown that they could aliases person nan expertise to still hear.'

Julie, who antecedently worked arsenic an ICU nurse, added that she witnessed galore group who came retired of comas who told her that they 'could sense' what was going connected while they were asleep.

'They would show america that they could perceive definite things, they could consciousness group successful nan room,' she said.

'They knew somewhat what was going on. We do deliberation that is nan aforesaid for nan dying person. 

'So really, astatine nan extremity of life it's conscionable astir being present, it's astir creating an ambiance and an situation that's comforting to them.'

The 2nd point that took her by astonishment erstwhile she began moving arsenic a hospice caregiver was 'deathbed phenomena.'

The word is utilized to picture a bid of experiences that hap to personification moments earlier they walk away.

Sometimes patients picture seeing dormant relatives, aliases will show their caregivers that they're astir to embark connected a trip.

Julie said she's witnessed immoderate group getting a 'surge of energy' correct earlier dying, while she's seen others 'waiting' to transverse complete until their loved ones get 'into nan room.' 

'[These things] were mind-blowing to maine arsenic a caller hospice caregiver it still is mind-blowing to maine erstwhile I spot it now, 8 years later,' Julie dished.

While she described nan phenomena arsenic 'shocking' and 'unbelievable,' she also said it was 'comforting.' 

'Hence why I ever amended astir it,' she continued. 'I consciousness for illustration it's important for maine arsenic a hospice caregiver to amended nan wide nationalist that these are things that really happen. We don't cognize why but they do.'

Last but not least, nan 3rd and last point that stunned her astir decease was that dehydration 'helps group person a much serene death.' 

'Dehydration astatine nan extremity of life will thief you dice much peaceful. Why? Because a dying assemblage cannot grip nan hydration that for illustration a surviving well-body can,' she shared.

'If we effort to hydrate a dying assemblage astatine nan extremity of life they'll go overloaded pinch fluid. 

'The assemblage can't grip nan fluid, it won't enactment successful nan person's veins aliases arteries, it'll seep retired and origin swelling and past yet origin respiratory distress.

'The much I saw that arsenic a caller hospice caregiver nan much I was amazed astir really our bodies really thief america die. 

'Our bodies will commencement helping america beryllium much dehydrated because nan assemblage knows that nan much dehydrated you are nan amended you're going to feel. 

'You're going to spell into ketosis [if you're dehydrated] and your assemblage will merchandise endorphins that really will springiness you a euphoric emotion and thief commencement dulling symptom and make you really consciousness good.'

Julie explained that being honorable astir her experiences would thief group consciousness little 'afraid' astir death. 

'There are a batch of unknowns astir nan extremity of life which I deliberation is what makes group consciousness afraid,' she concluded.

'But nan much I've been astir group astatine nan extremity of their life nan little acrophobic I've go because I've seen pinch my ain eyes nan measurement our assemblage helps america hole for that and nan different things that are comforting to america that hap astatine nan extremity of life. 

'Witnessing decease connected a regular ground has made maine fearfulness it less. Which is why I bring this accusation to you. Hopefully this will besides alteration your fear.' 

Julie, who utilized her expertise to constitute a book, called Nothing to Fear, antecedently posted a video detailing thing known arsenic nan 'death stare' - a blank look that comes crossed someone's look that usually signals they are adjacent to passing away.

'It's when personification gets really fixated connected a definite portion of nan room, and nary matter what you do - you tin threat your digit correct successful beforehand of their look - an they will not move their gaze,' she said. 

'Sometimes they conscionable stare. Sometimes they will talk to personification who you don't see. Sometimes they'll person a large grin connected their face, for illustration they're seeing thing that's evidently making them very happy. So that's called nan "death stare."' 

She added that nan 'death stare' is often accompanied by 'end-of-life visioning,' which is erstwhile nan dying personification claims to spot personification that they 'love and know' who has 'already' moved on.

'They will sometimes person conversations correct successful beforehand of america pinch these group that we don't see,' she added of nan eerie occurrence. 

Julie has besides posted a video astir how the assemblage is 'built to die,' explaining that everyone has built-in mechanisms that 'shut off' erstwhile you're adjacent to decease to make passing distant consciousness much 'natural' and 'peaceful.' 

She explained that's why a personification nearing decease often starts 'eating and drinking less, while sleeping more.'

'Why is that happening? Because calcium levels successful nan assemblage are going up and because calcium levels are going up nan personification is getting sleepier,' Julie said.

'Our brains person built successful mechanisms to make america quiet and thirsty. Biologically, erstwhile nan assemblage knows it's getting towards nan extremity of life those mechanisms unopen off, truthful nan personification does not usually consciousness quiet and does not usually consciousness thirsty, which is helping nan assemblage slow unopen down.'