Exploring Consciousness After Cardiac Arrest

Scientists from the University of Southampton conducted a four-year study involving more than 2,000 cardiac arrest patients across 15 hospitals in the UK, Austria, and the USA. The findings showed that nearly 40% of those who survived described some form of conscious awareness during clinical death, before their hearts resumed beating.

One patient, a 57-year-old man from Britain, recounted an experience similar to others who have undergone clinical death. He consistently claimed that "he completely left his body," and was able to observe the resuscitation process from a corner of the room. He described the actions of the medical team and even the sounds made by the medical equipment.  

The research also reveals that out of 2,060 cardiac arrest incidents, 330 patients survived and 140 reported awareness or consciousness during resuscitation. One in five felt a sense of peace, and one in three experienced changes in time perception. Some saw a white light, and 13% reported feeling an out-of-body sensation.

"We know the brain cannot function when the heart stops," Dr. Sam Parnia, a lead researcher, told the British newspaper "The Telegraph." "Yet, in this case, conscious awareness occurred for up to three minutes, while the heart wasn't beating, even though brain function ceases about 20 to 30 seconds after cardiac arrest."

"The man described everything that was happening in the room, and importantly, he heard two beeps from a machine that emits such noise every three minutes," Dr. Parnia added. "Therefore, we can measure how long his experience lasted. He appeared very credible, and everything he claimed to have happened indeed occurred."