Death May Be a Psychedelic Experience: Scientific Parallels Between Near Death States and DMT

For centuries, people from every culture have described intense visions, profound insights, and feelings of peace during the moments close to death. These near death experiences, often called NDEs, have puzzled scientists and spiritual seekers alike. In recent years, research has uncovered striking similarities between the brain states observed during NDEs and those seen during the effects of DMT, a powerful psychedelic found naturally in many plants and also produced within the human body. This connection suggests that the process of dying may involve a psychedelic like shift in consciousness.

Near Death Experiences and What People Report

Near death experiences often include floating outside the body, traveling through a tunnel of light, encountering deceased loved ones, feeling overwhelming peace, or experiencing life reviews. These reports are consistent across age, culture, and geographic location. Studies show that between 10 and 20 percent of people revived after cardiac arrest describe NDEs. The consistency of these reports suggests that something deeply biological may be happening in the mind as it approaches death.

The Brain During the Moment of Death

Brain studies in animals and humans have found a sudden surge of organized brain activity shortly before death. A 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences recorded the brains of dying rats and discovered a burst of high frequency gamma waves. These waves are associated with advanced states of consciousness, deep meditation, and psychedelic experiences. Similar patterns were observed in a 2022 human case study where a dying patient showed a spike in gamma activity moments before death.

This activity suggests that the brain may enter a hyper conscious state in the final minutes of life.

How DMT Mirrors the Experience

DMT produces intense visionary states that often resemble the features of NDEs. Users commonly report encounters with beings, bright geometric landscapes, a sense of leaving the body, and feeling outside of time. Studies from Imperial College London found that volunteers given DMT described experiences that matched the most common NDE features, including tunnel perception, life review sensations, and feelings of unity or peace. The brain patterns seen during DMT sessions also resemble the gamma activity observed at the time of death. This suggests that the brain may release an endogenous psychedelic during extreme stress or during the dying process.

Is DMT Released at Death

The pineal gland, which produces melatonin, has been suggested as a possible source of endogenous DMT. While research is ongoing, a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found measurable levels of DMT in the brains of live rats and discovered that these levels increased when the animals were near death. This evidence supports the idea that the human brain might produce higher amounts of DMT during extreme biological stress or at the moment of dying.

Why This Matters

If death truly involves a psychedelic like shift, it may change how humanity views dying, consciousness, and spirituality. It does not remove the mystery of death, but it offers a biological explanation for why the process often feels peaceful or visionary. It also suggests that the mind may remain active even when the body begins to fail. For some, this information provides comfort. For others, it opens the door to new questions about what consciousness really is and where it might go. As science continues to study NDEs and psychedelic states, we are beginning to see that the boundary between life and death may be more perceptual than absolute.

Sources

• Borjigin, J., et al. (2013). Surge of neurophysiological coherence in the dying brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

• Martial, C., et al. (2019). Near death experiences: A comparative study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

• Timmermann, C., et al. (2018). Neural correlates of the DMT experience. Frontiers in Psychology.

• Dean, J. G., et al. (2019). Biosynthesis of DMT in mammalian brain. Scientific Reports.

• Martial, C., et al. (2021). Characteristics of near death experiences. Nature Scientific Reports.