What happens to the body when we die?

You might think that when a person dies that it’s the end of the journey for the body, but this is far from the case. Once the heart stops and the brain ceases to function, your body slowly begins to decompose. But how does this process of decomposition happen? And why learn a little about this rather morbid subject?

For the majority of the world, contact with a deceased person ends at their funeral. Perhaps you may see a dead person dressed for burial in a coffin or their cremated remains in an urn, but rarely anything more. However, have you wondered what naturally happens to the body after death? If a body is not cremated or embalmed (to help preserve the remains), under natural conditions it will begin to disintegrate - until only bones are left.

How does the human body decompose?

The term ‘decomposition’ may be used by some people as a synonym for ‘rot’, but they are in fact quite different terms. The decomposition of a human body is a long and complex process, including numerous stages, which ‘rot’ or ‘rotting’ is only one part. 

Decomposition is the process whereby complex organic components of previously living organisms gradually separate into increasingly simple elements. According to the forensic scientist M. Lee Goff, decomposition is "a continuous process, which begins at the point of death and ends when the body has been reduced to a skeleton."

There are a number of signs that indicate a body has begun its decomposition process. Three important stages are: livor mortis, rigor mortis and algor mortis.

Livor, rigor and algor mortis

During rigor mortis, the body becomes stiff because the muscles begin to tense due to the changes that occur in them at the cellular level. Rigor mortis begins between 2 and 6 hours after death and can last between 24 and 84 hours. After this time frame, the muscles become ‘floppy’ and flexible once again.

Livor mortis, refers to the pale bluish-purple discoloration (lividity) under the skin of the lower body parts due to gravitation of blood after death. This process usually begins about an hour after death and can continue to develop for 9-12 hours.

Algor mortis, a latin term, which literally means “cool death”. The term refers to the gradual cooling of the body following death. This occurs because the body  "stops regulating its internal temperature". The temperature of the body will drop until it reaches the ‘ambient’ or natural temperature that is is surrounded by. This cooling process is usually takes place for approximately 18-20 hours after death.

Later signs of decomposition include the body turning to a greenish/ yellow colour and developing signs of decay or ‘rot’. Leaked enzymes from the first stages of decomposition begin producing various gases, including sulphur. It is the sulphur that causes skin discolouration - this specifically a green/yellowish hue. Sulphur reacts with hemoglobin in the blood to form ‘sulfhemoglobin’, which is the green/yellow like pigment that causes the body to change colour. These gases can also  make the body almost double in size, due to bloating. 

Another aspect of decomposition relates to the skin. After death the skin separates from the body, which may sound rather alarming. However, if you remember that the entire outer protective layer of skin of a living human is in fact made from dead cells, perhaps the process of skin shedding is not so disturbing. This outer layer of skin ‘epidermis’ is constantly shedding from the ‘dermis’ (underlying skin) and being replaced by the next layer of epidermis while we are living. After death, the epidermis begins to separate from the dermis completely and therefore can be easily removed from the body.

The next stage of decomposition is putrefaction, or the "nature recycling process". This is the process of active decay or rotting in the body. Organs, muscles, and skin become liquified. This stage of decomposition is also the point at which the body is consumed by maggots and other insects. When all of the body’s soft tissue has decomposed, only hair, bones, cartilage, and other byproducts of decay remain. Once all the stages of decomposition have taken place, only the skeleton will remain. The body is literally ‘recycled’ by the environment leaving only bones as lasting physical evidence of a person’s existence.  

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