What happens to a human being when he or she dies?

When a human being dies, several processes happen on a) physical and biological levels, b) psychological as well as social levels, and, for many people around the world, c) spiritual levels.

Physical and biological processes

When a person dies, the vital functions of the body stop working. The heart stops beating and the person stops breathing. Also, the blood stops flowing and is pulled downward toward the Earth by gravity. When the heart stops pumping blood, oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues and organs halts. Without oxygen, cells begin to die. This process starts within minutes for brain cells and can take hours for other tissues. The brain is thought to keep working for 10 minutes or so after death, meaning that a person’s mind may have some kind of awareness of dying.

Immediately after a person dies, his or her muscles relax. The eyelids lose their tension, the pupils dilate, the jaw may fall open, and the joints and limbs become flexible. When muscles relax, the strain on the bowel and bladder is released. As a result, most people pee and poop at death. Within a few hours after a person dies, muscles stiffen due to chemical changes in the muscles. First, the body stiffens at the face and the neck. The stiffening progresses to the trunk of the body and gradually radiates outward to the arms and legs – and then to fingers and toes. A few days after death, the body’s tissue breaks down, causing the stiff parts to relax again. This stiffening process – called rigor mortis – peaks around 12 hours after death and dissipates after 48-72 hours as the body starts to decompose and return to earth. Decomposition means that a) enzymes in the body’s cells break down tissues and b) bacteria in the body multiply and produce gases, which leads to the breakdown of tissues and organs.

The body temperature of a person, who dies, gradually decreases about 0.83 degrees Celsius per hour. This means that the color of the skin will change. Eventually, the body temperature will match the surroundings. The physical and biological processes happening when a person dies are influenced by various factors such as temperature, environment, and burial practices. In modern funerals, many people opt to cremated, during which the body is exposed to temperatures of 760 to 980 degrees Celsius. This dries the body, vaporizes the soft tissues, and calcifies the bones. After one to three hours, the body will have been reduced to fragmental skeleton remains, which are then ground into the ash that the family can take away with them.

Psychological and social aspects

The death of a human being affects loved ones and communities, who experience grief and engage in mourning rituals. The person, who dies, is often remembered and honored through various cultural and personal practices, such as memorial services, tombstones, monuments, and rituals.

Spiritual and cultural perspectives

The experiences and beliefs about what happens after death vary widely among different cultures and religions. Some examples:

About 16% of the global population such as atheists do not subscribe to religious beliefs. They view death as the end of consciousness and existence, with the body undergoing natural decomposition. This number has been increasing globally. In the USA, for example, the percentage of people identifying as religiously unaffiliated has grown from about 8% in 1990 to around 26%. Also, high percentages of non-religious individuals live in Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Higher levels of education, advancements in science and technology and an increasing emphasis on individualism and freedom of thought have contributed to the increase in the number of people, who do not subscribe to religious beliefs.

Hindus generally believe in reincarnation, where the soul is reborn into a new body based on karma from past lives. Similar to Hinduism, Buddhists believe in a cycle of rebirth and strive to attain Nirvana, a state of liberation from this cycle.

Many Christians believe in an afterlife where the soul goes to Heaven or Hell based on their faith and actions during life. Some believe in resurrection or eternal life. Like Christians, Muslims also believe in an afterlife: People are judged by Allah and sent to Paradise or Hell. In Judaism, beliefs about afterlife vary among Jews. Some Jews believe in a form of resurrection or a spiritual afterlife, while others focus on legacy and memory.

Sources of inspiration:
https://chatgpt.com/share/3364c23d-0c23-4db1-843b-59ad5c297893
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23144-what-happens-when-you-die
https://www.newsweek.com/your-body-each-step-death-1761458
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-happens-to-my-body-right-after-i-die-1132498
https://you.com/search?q=What+happens+to+a+human+being+when+he+or+she+dies%3F&cid=c1_8b0c5615-6058-4128-93b1-48e34fddb4e9&tbm=youchat