'Deathbed Doctor' says dying patients start seeing same vision before passing away

'Deathbed Doctor' says dying patients start seeing same vision before passing away The physician explained the common theme that nearly 90% of dying patients start to see before they pass away A doctor has shared the vision he claims many dying patients see before they pass away. Appearing on a recent episode of the Diary Of A CEO podcast, hosted by BBC Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett, Dr Christopher Kerr went into detail about six things discovered from interviewing dying patients, including what they saw in their final moments. Dr Christopher Kerr is a hospice physician, neurobiologist, and CEO who has spent nearly three decades studying the psychological and spiritual experiences of the dying. He has researched end-of-life dreams and visions, challenging conventional medical views on mortality and grief. His bestselling book, Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life's End, aims to destigmatise the dying process and reframe people's understanding of the end of life. The health expert is also known as the 'Deathbed Doctor'. For nearly three decades, Dr Christopher Kerr has scientifically studied and validated what are culturally known as "deathbed visions" or end-of-life experiences (ELEs). He and his team have documented interviews with over 1,500 dying patients, tracking the comforting, non-delirious dreams and visions that 80% to 90% of people experience as they approach death. What is the same vision he claims dying patients see before passing away? During the episode, Dr Christopher Kerr said that nearly 90% of dying patients experience intense dreams or visions. He said many patients start to see the same thing - loved ones who have passed away. While he says there isn't a single universal image, he claims loved ones are the most common and comforting theme he found during his research into dying patients. He says these people appear to be those who provided unconditional love, and patients often describe these encounters as incredibly real, comforting, and free of fear. "The vast majority of people, nearly 90% of people, start to have very intense dreams or visions," he said. "And the overriding theme is that they're seeing people who they've loved and who they've lost. And very specifically, it's those that have loved them unconditionally, purely, and those that didn't aren't there. Dying is progressive sleep." The doctor said that patients often rate these experiences as a '10/10' for realism, feeling they are true occurrences rather than typical dreams or hallucinations. He also claims that these visions are deeply comforting and notably free from the fear or distress typically associated with delirium. "Very vivid are these dreams. Very little is said between the dreamer and the person in the dream," he said, while explaining his research findings. "What you'll notice... which is striking, is the absolute absence of fear. "So these dreams never deny the fact that they're dying. They almost transcend it. And they really sometimes have trouble finding language for what they're seeing, but they know how they felt, which is 'kind of put back together'." Sharing an example, Dr Christopher Kerr shows a video of a patient called Paul, who describes having approximately 15 vivid dreams about his deceased wife leading up to his death. He specifically notes that in these dreams she is always wearing a 'beautiful light blue'. Ensure our latest lifestyle headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. Do patients also see visions while they are awake? Dr Christopher Kerr also says these visions can happen while dying patients are awake, not just when they are asleep dreaming. He said: "When we ask them to scale it zero to 10 on the degree of realism, it's always a 10. So, it feels like this actually happened. "And those of them who are having these experiences in the wake state, you can watch them. They're looking right through you. They're looking at the room. They're petting the dog that isn't there... 50% occur when they're awake. It's usually measurable within weeks, a couple of weeks [before they die], and it picks up as you get closer to death." What causes these end-of-life visions? The doctor also says that these end-of-life experiences are linked to the process of dying, which he describes as "progressive sleep" where sleep cycles and architecture change as one approaches death. Dr Christopher Kerr explains that as patients become more introspective and physically diminished, they naturally spend more time in these inner states. While some might wonder if these visions are caused by delirium or brain chemistry, Dr Christopher Kerr suggests that his and his team's research screens for delirium and distinguishes it from these experiences. The doctor says he essentially views these experiences as a way for patients to find peace, resolve past wounds, and feel reconnected to loved ones. What are the six discoveries Dr Kerr has made from interviewing dying patients? - Living as long as possible ranked lower than living well. - 88% of his patients reported dreams about loved ones who had died. - Patients ranked 'not being a burden' above wanting more time. - Seeing the dead was the most comforting type of dream they measured. - Regret wasn't as common as Kewrr expected- relationships mattered more to them. - 12% of patients reported distressing or uncomfortable dreams.