A sneezing sound ‘ah-choo’ around you these days is more than enough to scare the hell out of you. But, ever thought that why do we sneeze? What makes us sneeze? So, Sneezing or Sternutation is a process by which the body removes any sort of irritants from the nose. There is no hard and fast rule that a sneeze would come with a warning. It is often spontaneous and a powerful expulsion of air from the lungs.
It is not necessary that all sorts of sneezing would have an infectious cause. Some are just random or casual sneezes, which are just voluntary reaction from the mucus membranes which has the role to trap the dirt and bacteria which sometimes enter through our noses. Our stomach has the ability to digest the mucus which helps us in fighting these germs. When these membranes somehow cannot tackle the dirt at that time an irritation sensation makes us sneeze.
What causes sneeze?
Sneezing is a part of our body’s functional operation which wants to get rid of unwanted irritation. The role of the nose is to clean the air which goes inside your body and make sure it is dirt and bacteria-free. But sometimes, these dirt particles are more impactful than the nose’s resistance. This causes some irritation in the nasal passage and mucus membrane which makes us sneeze. Sneezing in most cases blows out the unwanted kinds of stuff from the nose.
Then, how do we sneeze? The main reasons for someone to sneeze would be due to any allergies, irritants in the nasal passage, viruses. The most common reason for someone to sneeze would be due to a common cold or flu.
Allergies are a reaction from our body system to foreign substances which try to invade and get inside. It is the function of the immune system to protect us from such invaders and sneezing is one of the ways. Some people may have irritation from any particular type of fragrance. If in case this fragrance reaches out to their noses, it causes irritation and the nasal membranes react to this.
Infections due to the virus also cause sneezing. These infections can turn out to be flu or common cold. There are hundreds of viruses that cause you sneezing trouble. One has to take care of themselves when they are in unknown or risky surroundings where the quality of air is not up to the mark.
Can you sneeze in your sleep?
Well, people are curious to know whether it’s a fact or a myth. Can you sneeze in your sleep? Can you sneeze while being unconscious? The answer to this is “No”. We can’t sneeze while sleeping actually, there is no chance that one can have a sneeze while being in deep sleep. A cough or sneeze would only occur during light sleep. Until unless the body comes into the state of consciousness, you can’t sneeze.
People often make an opinion about this myth by seeing others coughing or sneezing during sleep. However, there is no chance that they would be remembering something like that ever happened with them. It is often advised to have our bedroom surroundings neat and clean so that our sleep doesn’t get impacted due to sneezing reflexes.
Sneezing Facts That No One “Nose”
Here are a few facts about sneezing that you must know. Let’s take a count how many of them you already knew?
- Our heart stops beating while we sneeze is just a myth, sneezing rather just changes the rhythm of heartbeats.
- Speed of sneeze traveling can be up to 160Kmph.
- We know that social distancing norms says one must maintain 6ft of minimum distance, do you know why? It is because a sneeze’s spray radius is equivalent to 5ft.
- There is no chance of sneezing while you are sleeping. This is because the nerves which have the role to trigger sneezing in our body also stays in an unconscious state.
- Sneezing is also considered a full-body workout. It involves your chest, throat, and abdomen while sneezing.
- You cannot suppress a sneeze, once it starts you cannot stop it.
- Microscopic views and super-slow-motion cameras have given a rough figure that one sneeze produces almost 40,000 droplets.
- You can sneeze with your eyes open.
Precautions to avoid Sneezing
Most of the times sneezing is just an instantaneous reaction and doesn’t last long. But, in case if it persists one must take some precautions. If these precautions also aren’t good enough then we must consult medical experts.
If a person is allergic to something or any particular environment then they must avoid going to such places. Air filters can be used to prevent this impact indoors. To avoid dust-related allergies one must maintain neat hygiene like regularly washing their bedsheets. Some people are allergic to pets, in that case, the best thing to do would be to keep out the pets in some restricted or outdoor spaces.
In case of a common cold and flu attack do seek some medical advice before being a self-proclaimed doctor. Self-prescribed treatments can sometimes cause you more trouble. In order to reduce the impact of the flu one must get plenty of rest. Sleeping is the best pill, as it gives the body an ample amount of time to recover. Eating a well-maintained diet also helps in treating flu quickly as the body lacks nutrients and vitamins during these states. So, a slight change to the regular diet is also advisable.
Final Verdicts
People often are curious to know about the facts about sneezing as there are a lot of myths existing on this issue. The internet is flooded with misinformation which can be misguiding for the people. Make sure that you are right on track. Sneezing is not a disease but an action caused to remove the ailments or unwanted from the body. You need to be sure enough in knowing the reason for your regular sneezes if it is persisting. Once you identify that, it becomes easier to diagnose and get rid of it.
Keep in mind, a healthy hygienic environment will always make your lives better. Have a habit of frequently washing your hands and cleaning your surrounding where you spend most of the time. Maintain distance from people who already have any sickness to avoid catching the flu. Make sure to cover your mouth and nose while you sneeze so that it doesn’t impact others around you. Following these basic precautions can help you and others in treating and avoiding sneezing problems with ease. If you still face any sort of discomfort then make sure you have a word with your medical advisors. Take care and keep in mind that you can’t sneeze while sleeping. Next time when someone sneezes don’t forget to say “Bless You”! and carry on.