An out-of-body experience is often described as leaving your body. There are many possible causes, including medical conditions and experiences.

Female laying down while having an out of body experience
Hayden Williams/Stocksy United

An out-of-body experience is when your consciousness leaves your body. People who have had a near-death experience often report these episodes. An OBE might be described as a dissociative episode.

People experience their sense of self inside their body. You most likely see the world from this point. You may feel as if you are looking at something other than yourself during an oye.

What happens during an appointment? Does your consciousness leave you? Experts have a few hunches, which we will get into later.

It is difficult to say what an OBE feels like.

They involve people who have experienced them.

  • A feeling of being outside.
  • An altered perception of the world is when you look down from a height.
  • The feeling of looking down at yourself.
  • A sense that what is happening is real.

“Obligated bankruptcies happen without warning and don’t last long.”

If you have a neurological condition, such as Seizures., you may be more likely to experience OBEs.They may also happen more frequently. But for many people, an OBE will happen very rarely, maybe only once in a lifetime if at all.

Some estimates suggest around 5 percent of people have experienced the sensations associated with an OBE, though some suggest this number may be higher.

There is a debate over whether the sensations and perceptions associated with OBEs happen physically or as a sort of hallucinatory experience.

A recent 2022 review tried to explore this by evaluating a variety of studies and case reports evaluating consciousness, cognitive awareness, and recall in people who survived Cardiac arrest..

“Some people report separation from their body during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and others report an awareness of events they wouldn’t have seen from their perspective.”

In addition, one study included in the review noted that two participants reported having both visual and auditory experiences while in Cardiac arrest.. Only one was well enough to follow up, but he gave an accurate, detailed description of what took place for about three minutes of his resuscitation from Cardiac arrest..

There is no evidence to support the idea that a person can travel outside the body.

Veridical perception

Veridical perception is a topic that is controversial. It refers to the idea that you can leave your body during an OBE, allowing you to witness something that you may not have otherwise.

Some anecdotal reports of this phenomena exist, with a few people even providing specific, accurate details about events that have happened during surgical procedures or while clinically dead.

Many people use these stories to support their belief in life after death.

There is no research available to support the idea of veridicial perception.

One older 2014 study investigating the validity of veridical perception in people who had survived Cardiac arrest. found that neither of the two individuals who reported awareness during resuscitation were able to identify specific items that were only viewable from above.

Experts have identified several possible explanations for the unexplained deaths.

Stress or trauma

A frightening, dangerous, or difficult situation can cause you to fear and feel like you are watching something. This may make you feel like you are watching something from a different place.

According to 2017 research reviewing the experience of women in labor, OBEs during childbirth aren’t unusual.

The study didn’t specifically link OBEs to post-traumatic stress disorder, but the authors did point out that women who had OBEs had either gone through trauma during labor or another situation not related to childbirth.

This suggests that OBEs could occur as a way to cope with trauma, but more research is needed on this potential link.

Medical conditions

Several medical and mental health conditions have been linked to OBEs.

Dissociative disorders, particularly depersonalization-derealization disorder, can involve frequent feelings or episodes where you seem to be observing yourself from outside your body.

Sleep paralysis has also been noted as a possible cause of OBEs. It refers to a temporary state of waking paralysis that occurs during REM sleep and often involves hallucinations.

Research suggests many people who have OBEs with a near-death experience also often experience sleep paralysis.

In addition, a review of literature from 2020 suggests that sleep-wake disturbances may contribute to dissociative symptoms. This can include a feeling of leaving your body.

Medication and drugs

Some people have an unexplained Loss of consciousness.while under anesthesia.

Other substances, including cannabis, ketamine, or hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, can cause this sensation.

Near-death experiences

Near-death experiences can include near-death experiences, such as seeing a light at the end of a tunnel, or previous memories.

Though it’s not clear exactly why this happens, it’s believed to be caused by disruptions in certain areas of the brain involved with processing sensory information. A 2021 review suggests that these experiences may be more likely to occur during life threatening situations, which can include:

  • Cardiac arrest.
  • traumatic injury
  • There was a brain hemorrhage.
  • There is a body of water.
  • There is suffocation.

Strong G-forces

Pilots and astronauts sometimes experience OBEs when strong gravitational forces, or G-forces, are encountered. This is because it causes blood to pool in the lower body, which can lead to loss of conscious and may induce an OBE.

Extreme G-forces can also cause spatial disorientation, peripheral vision loss, and disconnection between cognition and the ability to act.

Paranormal

Some people believe that when your soul or spirit leaves your body, you can experience an unexplained body ache.

Traveling clairvoyance is a form of psychics that allows your soul to visit distant locations in order to get information.

Some believe that certain meditative practices can help you reach a state of consciousness that is beyond the body and mind.

Some people experiment with the practice of astral projection, which involves sending consciousness from your body to a spiritual plane or plane of perception.

However, research has not been able to show that these practices cause OBEs.

Other experiences

It is possible that OBEs could be unintentionally, intentionally or even deliberately.

Additional research is needed to support this.

There is no evidence that experiencing snoozing is related to any serious health risks. You might feel a bit confused after.

However, OBEs and dissociation in general can cause lingering feelings of emotional distress.

You might be confused about what happened or wondering if you have a mental health condition. You might not like the idea of an OBE and worry about it again.

There is no evidence to support the claim that your consciousness can remain outside of your body following an OBE.

“You don’t necessarily need to see a healthcare professional if you have an OBE. You may have this experience once and never again. If you don’t have any other symptoms, you don’t have any reason to be concerned.”

“Even if you don’t have any physical or psychological conditions, you can mention the experience to a doctor. They may be able to help by ruling out serious conditions or reassuring.”

It’s also a good idea to talk with a healthcare professional if you’re having any sleep issues, including insomnia or symptoms of sleep paralysis, such as hallucinations.

Recognize an emergency

If you have had an unexplained fatigue, seek immediate help.

  • There is head pain.
  • flashing lights in your vision
  • Seizures.
  • Loss of consciousness.
  • There is a change in mood.
  • thoughts of suicide

“It hasn’t been proven that consciousness can leave your body. Many people have reported feeling their consciousness leave their body.”

OBEs appear to be more common with some conditions, including certain dissociative disorders and Seizures.. Many people also report having an OBE during a near-death experience, including during Cardiac arrest. or brain injury.