Twenty-Three Percent of Americans Say They’ve Had Near-Death Experiences, According to Major Survey

Data Released as International Association for Near-Death Studies Hosts 2026 Near-Death Experience Week, June 1-7, 2026

DURHAM, NC, UNITED STATES, May 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Twenty-three percent of American adults say they have had a near-death experience (NDE) in which they “transitioned to another realm and then returned to human existence,” and 35 percent who have not had an NDE know someone who has had the experience, according to a new survey of 2,100 Americans released by the International Association for Near-Death Studies. The poll was conducted in March 2026 by Centiment.

According to survey results, 51 percent of those who had an NDE say the experience gave them a deeper appreciation for life. Another 36 percent said they feel more connected to the spiritual realm; 31 percent said the experience changed their life priorities; 30 percent said they have less fear of death; 30 percent said they are more empathetic towards others and 26 percent said they are more generous and socially minded. Forty-four percent of those who knew someone who reported an NDE said hearing about it increased their curiosity about the afterlife and 40 percent said it deepened their belief in an afterlife.

Those who had not had an NDE said they believed there was strong evidence (27.3 percent) or some good evidence (31.3 percent) for the phenomena. Fifteen percent said there was limited evidence and 24 percent said there was insufficient evidence. Four out of five people (79.8 percent) said there is some value (36.7 percent) or major value (41.1 percent) in studying near-death experiences.

“This remarkable data tells us three important things: NDEs may be more common than we realized; people who have NDEs or hear about them are positively impacted, and the majority of Americans believe evidence exists to support the phenomena,” said IANDS Executive Director Janet Riley. “The survey also makes clear the importance of normalizing conversations about life, death and what comes after. Those who have had NDEs or who research them may be some of the best teachers.”

The survey also probed views on death and the afterlife broadly. One in four respondents (25 percent) said the idea of dying scared them “a little” and 14.8 percent said the idea of dying scared them “a great deal.” Thirty-one percent said they feel confident that when they die, they will be in a better place, but 6.2 percent said they worry that they will be in a worse place. Twenty-five percent said they had “made peace with death.”
To read a complete summary of the research, click here.

According to IANDS, people who experience NDEs typically require time and support to integrate the experience into their lives. IANDS offers more than a dozen monthly sharing groups on-line, and is affiliated with 80 local groups in the U.S. and around the globe that meet to host discussions and offer support. IANDS also offers training materials for physicians and manages a list of mental health professionals with special training to support people who have had an NDE.

Two Free On-Line Events During NDE Week
IANDS will offer two special free educational events during Near Death Experience Week. On Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern, IANDS will host a “Near-Death Experiences for Newcomers” featuring two individuals who have had NDEs and speak compellingly about them. The speakers include IANDS President Evan Mecham, who had an NDE in 1980, and Vinney Tolman, who had an NDE in 2003. The session will be moderated by IANDS Executive Director Janet Riley. Attendees may pose questions.

On Saturday, June 6 at 3 p.m. Eastern, IANDS will host Near-Death Experiences: “What Academic Research and Personal Stories Tell Us About Near Death Experiences.” Speakers include Marieta Pehlivanova, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Virginia School of Medicine Division of Perceptual Studies and Anita Moorjani, who had an NDE in 2006 and is author of the New York Times best-selling book Dying To Be Me. The discussion will be facilitated by IANDS Afterlife Revealed Podcast Host Dani Foffa. Both events are free. To register, visit the special Near-Death Experience Week page.

As a Durham, North Carolina-based educational nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, IANDS focuses its resources on providing the highest quality information available about NDE-related subjects. IANDS’s purpose is to promote responsible, multi-disciplinary exploration of near-death and similar experiences, their effects on people’s lives, and their implications for beliefs about life, death, and human purpose. It is the only membership group of its kind with local groups all over the world. IANDS also hosts an annual conference attended by nearly a thousand people. IANDS Conference 2026 will occur August 26-30, 2026 at Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, Washington.

Janet Riley
International Association for Near-Death Studies
+1 703-801-2238
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