The first stage of human decomposition is called autolysis, or self-digestion, and begins immediately after death. As soon as blood circulation and respiration stop, the body has no way of getting oxygen or removing wastes. Excess carbon dioxide causes an acidic environment, causing membranes in cells to rupture.
As the blood pools, patches appear on the skin within 30 minutes of death. About two to four hours postmortem, these patches join up, creating large dark purplish areas towards the bottom of the body and lightening the skin elsewhere. This may be less apparent on darker skin. This process is called livor mortis.
The first visible change to the body—occurring 15 to 20 minutes after death—is pallor mortis, in which the body begins to pale. Pallor mortis occurs because blood stops moving through the capillaries, the smallest of the body's blood vessels.
Remember, it's OK to be happy. It's OK to live a happy life even after the death of someone you love. To live your life fully, even in the presence of sadness, can be a lasting tribute to the person who died.
Your heart stops beating. Your brain stops. Other vital organs, including your kidneys and liver, stop. All your body systems powered by these organs shut down, too, so that they're no longer capable of carrying on the ongoing processes understood as, simply, living.
Muscle cells live on for several hours. Bone and skin cells can stay alive for several days. It takes around 12 hours for a human body to be cool to the touch and 24 hours to cool to the core. Rigor mortis commences after three hours and lasts until 36 hours after death.
After someone dies, it's normal to see or hear them. Some people also reporting sensing the smell or warmth of someone close to them, or just feel a very strong sense of their presence. Sometimes these feelings can be very powerful. They may be comforting but also feel disturbing.
One of the most common and well-known near-death experiences for those who die and come back is seeing a bright, white light. This white light isn't something to be afraid of. In fact, most report it coming with a sense of peace or even happiness. Many have speculated about the symbolism behind the bright light.
The early post-mortem phase is most frequently estimated using the classical triad of post-mortem changes – rigor mortis, livor mortis, and algor mortis.
On the Day of Resurrection the soul will be returned to a new body and people will stand before God for judgement. Those who have believed in God and have pleased him through good works will be rewarded with Heaven, or paradise, where they shall live for eternity. Those who have disobeyed God will be punished in Hell.
Not all cultures hold funerary memorials forty days after death. Some pagan traditions believe that the soul of a recently deceased person continues to wander the earth for forty days; other religious traditions believe the soul will rest in the Lord's hands after death.
Not only is it okay to cry when someone dies, but it's also almost essential as an outlet to releasing pent-up emotion. Sometimes when someone dies, the urge to sob uncontrollably overcomes us, and we lose control over our emotional responses. Uncontrolled crying can happen when least expected.
People react to grief in very different ways. Some people find they cry very frequently and may be overwhelmed by the strength of their emotions. Others may feel numb for some time, or feel unable to cry.
Now that the funeral is over, the initial to-do lists are winding down and people are starting to return to their own daily lives, and you are experiencing more space for (and fewer distractions from) your own emotions. This might feel like a blessing, a chance for you to rest and reflect.
Tell family members and friends about the death. Employer or educational establishments. Health professionals. You will also need to cancel any outstanding hospital, dental, podiatry or other health related appointments.
A question about the death may come across as insensitive and force that person to make excuses for their loved ones to maintain their privacy. Further, it may bring back unnecessary pain of the loss all over again. If an obituary doesn't offer the cause of death, never ask.
For approximately the first 3 hours after death the body will be flaccid (soft) and warm. After about 3-8 hours is starts to stiffen, and from approximately 8-36 hours it will be stiff and cold. The body becomes stiff because of a range of chemical changes in the muscle fibres after death.
Physical signs
Facial muscles may relax and the jaw can drop. Skin can become very pale. Breathing can alternate between loud rasping breaths and quiet breathing. Towards the end, dying people will often only breathe periodically, with an intake of breath followed by no breath for several seconds.
Almost everyone begins to feel better at the six-month mark. However, this doesn't mean that the worse to come is over. Expect that your grief will ebb and flow during this time. Some days, you'll feel as if you're back to normal, and the very next day, you'll succumb to sorrow.
Visions and Hallucinations
Visual or auditory hallucinations are often part of the dying experience. The appearance of family members or loved ones who have died is common. These visions are considered normal. The dying may turn their focus to “another world” and talk to people or see things that others do not see.