Sneezing: Why and How Do We Sneeze?

Sneezing: Why and How Do We Sneeze?

Sneezing is an involuntary task performed by our bodies. It is a natural mechanism that is performed by every human being. But while sneezing, did you ever get a thought inside your mind that why do we sneeze? How do we sneeze? Is it the same feeling in everyone while sneezing?

Well, if these are your curiosity mind buster questions, then for a surprising and practical answer to these questions, read the following article. The following article consists of each and everything you want to know about sneezing. 

Process of Sneezing

Have you ever thought about what causes sneezing? While breathing from the nose, the nose experiences several foreign particles in the air. Every particle cannot be passed through the nose. Therefore, nose hairs capture the particles, and when the particle touches the lining of the nose, it sends a signal to the brain. In response to this signal, the brain allows the nose to sneeze the unwanted particle out of the nose. 

Have you ever thought about what happens when you sneeze? While sneezing, the person’s eyes get shut, and the tongue inside the mouth reaches the hard palate. Muscles galvanize for sneezing, and finally, the sneezing takes place. A single sneeze may carry microbes carrying flu or diseases. It throws mucus, water, air, and sternutation out of the nose. 

Sneezing is just the reset button of our nose. It resets the environment inside the nose. Cilia, present inside the nose, release every dust particle out of the nose. It gives a fresh start to the nose and also makes it function properly. 

Closing Eyes While Sneezing

You might have the question in your mind that can you sneeze with your eyes open? There are many myths that if you try to sneeze while eyes open, it will eventually pop your eyes out of your head. However, there is nothing like that; as mentioned above, it is just a myth. Closing of eyes while sneezing is just an involuntary action of the body. This reflex action has nothing to do with your eyes popping out of the head. 

Sneezing While Being Sick

As mentioned above, our nose sneezes out every unwanted and harmful foreign particle inside it. Therefore, when you are sick or experiencing flu symptoms and continuously facing sneezing, then take it as a normal process. Nose tries to sneeze out the fluids inside it. Cleaning the nose is necessary, and when you can’t do it, your body automatically performs it. It can be due to any cold, flu, or allergy.

Sneezing While Looking at the Sun

Staring at the sun continuously, sometimes can also cause sneezing. This phenomenon is called the sneeze reflex or solar sneeze reflex. This is why we sneeze in light. 

Allergies

Dust is the most common thing that we all usually face in our daily life. Some of us are strong against it, whereas some of us can’t face it, which ultimately means that they are allergic to dust. This allergy enables the nose and the person to sneeze, again and again, one after the other. 

Cases can be similar to pollen, pollution, mold, dander, and other allergens. When these enter the body, the brain starts reflecting them out of the body. Allergens are meant to harm you and your body. Therefore, their treatment is extremely necessary.

You may continuously sneeze for 3-5 times or more than that. Allergy is the reason why we sneeze continuously for 2-10 minutes.

Mixing Of Sneezing And Snoozing

You might be thinking that, can you sneeze while asleep? No, sneezing doesn’t occur when you sleep; this is because while sleeping, you snore (not everyone and every time but sometimes). When a person sleeps, sneezing nerves take a rest during that time. You may wake up in between your sleep and sneeze, but you will never sneeze while sleeping. 

Sneezing Sound

You might have thought sometimes that, why do we sneeze so loudly? Let me tell you that the sound of sneezing varies from person to person. Some people sneeze so loud that even it can be heard during a train passing by, whereas others are too soft. However, everyone does make a sound while sneezing. The airspeed coming out of the nose while sneezing is 100 miles/hour; this answers how far a sneeze travels. Noise while sneezing depends upon the size of the nostrils.

The sound depends on the fact that where we live. If you have listened to people from various countries’ sneezes, you might have noticed that the sound they produce is different in each one of them. French people say “Mitchum,” in English “achoo,” Italians use “happy,” Japanese use to say, “Hakusho,” and Swedes say “at.”

Heart And Sneezing

You must be doubting sneezing that. Does your heart stop when you sneeze? Well, the answer is absolutely no. It is just about the pressure inside the chest that changes instead of stopping of heartbeats and heart.

Sneeze And Colors

Ever thought why do we sneeze with different colored mucus? Mucus that comes out of the nose while sneezing can be of color, i.e., greHakushoow or brown. If youths are among one of these colors, then it is not good news because these three colors are shown during an infection. Colored mucus is due to white blood cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies. 

Continuous Sneezing 

While sneezing, you might have noticed that a single sneeze rarely takes place. After sneezing, you might have thought that, why do I keep sneezing twice or thrice? It is because when you sneeze, your nose clears the whole nasal environment. One sneeze is not enough for your nose to get rid of the foreign particles. Therefore, we need to have successive sneezes at a particular sneeze. 

Pepper Spray

Pepper is said to be the king of spices, and when it is added to the food, one can find the reason behind its name. But, apart from its taste, it is also highly responsible for sneezing. It is because it has the chemical piperine, which is an irritant for the nose. Nose repels the piperine via sneezing and keeps the nose safe from any of the allergic reactions. 

Cultural Beliefs And Sneezing

There are various cultural beliefs behind sneezing. Some of them are as follows:

  • Some people consider it good luck, whereas some say that it is a sign of bad luck when you are with someone and sneeze. 
  • Some Asian cultures refer to this as someone talking behind a sneezer’s back.
  • God bless you is the most common phrase that we all usually hear from the person around us. It is because it is a belief that when a person sneezes, the soul of the person sneaks out of the body. It is assumed that it prevents the person from falling ill. 

Final Words

Sneezing is a natural process that every human being faces. Sneezing takes place due to the entrance of any foreign and irritating particle inside the nose. However, there are some more reasons mentioned in the above article. The article also consists of some of the fun facts regarding sneezing. It also provides you the answers to why do we sneeze? Why does sneezing feel good? And many more questions like this. 

I hope you like this article, for more such articles stay connected to us. And, don’t forget to drop your review in the comment section.

Aryman

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