Doctor Reveals the Top 5 Regrets People Have on Their Deathbed

A doctor who has worked with terminally ill patients for years has revealed the top five things people regret most as they approach the end of their lives. Shoshana Ungerleider, a doctor of internal medicine, urges us to use these insights to live more fully in the present moment.
Dr. Ungerleider, based in San Francisco, has witnessed firsthand the profound reflections of patients nearing the end of their lives. She emphasizes that these regrets are not unique to the terminally ill but applicable to everyone.
The top five regrets people often express include:
* Not spending enough time with loved ones.
* Working too much.
* Letting fear dictate decisions.
* Not taking enough risks.
* Focusing too much on the future.
Dr. Ungerleider suggests that reflecting on our own mortality, regardless of age, can help us live more meaningfully. She encourages us to prioritize relationships, experiences, and personal fulfillment over material possessions.
End-of-life care providers, like Hadley Vlahos, corroborate these findings. Vlahos, a hospice worker with years of experience, has shared many patients’ regrets on social media. A common theme is the desire to have spent less time working and more time with loved ones. Patients often realize that the things they thought were essential in life were not as important as they believed.
As Vlahos points out, material possessions hold little value in the face of death. What truly matters are the relationships we have and the experiences we’ve had. By understanding these common regrets, we can make conscious choices to live more fulfilling lives.