suspended animation

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A temporary state of interrupted breathing and loss of consciousness resembling death, caused especially by asphyxia.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A temporary cessation of breathing and consciousness resembling death; often the result of asphyxia.
• noun science fiction The deliberate slowing of the body's functions, sometimes by the use of cryonics, on long interstellar journeys.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a temporary cessation of vital functions with loss of consciousness resembling death; usually resulting from asphyxia