We all sneeze from time to time, but can you sneeze in your sleep? It is a bodily reflex when the mucous membrane of your nose and lungs is stimulated. To clean nose and lungs, you sneeze. You can wake up to sneeze, but during sleep, strangely enough, you don’t! In this article, we try to answer everything you didn’t already know about sneezing in your sleep.
What happens when we sneeze?
Imagine getting pepper up your nose. The mucous membrane gets irritated because something enters your airways that doesn’t belong there. As a reflex, your body will want to clear the stimulus, in this example pepper, from your airways. You inhale deeply and your vocal cords close, collecting the air in your lungs. Your abdominal muscles and diaphragm contract and your vocal cords separate so that the air, with great force, cleanses your nose and lungs of pepper.
The greater your lung capacity, the harder you sneeze! A sneeze can reach speeds of up to 150 km per hour. So it is best to sneeze into your elbow. If you pinch the nose in time or keep the lips tightly together before your body takes a deep breath, you can prevent the sneeze.
Why often sneeze in bed?
When you crawl into bed, certain elements can trigger sneezing. For example, if you have a sniping cold, your nasal mucosa will react more sensitively. But why do you sneeze in bed if you don’t have a cold?
Allergy
Inhaling an allergen through the nose can trigger a violent reaction from your body’s own immune system, such as sneezing. But watery eyes, a stuffy feeling, itching and a runny or stuffy nose can also disturb your sleep considerably.
Allergic reactions are caused by allergens. Those allergens can end up in your bed through dust mites, pet dander or pollen blowing in through your bedroom window. An ENT doctor can diagnose this allergy and prescribe you antihistamines or a nasal spray.
If you try to keep your bedroom maximally free of allergens, you will be less likely to suffer anyway and may need to take less medication. What can you do?
- wash your bed textiles regularly, especially your pillowcases
- wash or replace your pillow in a timely manner
- use anti-allergic mattress protectors
- Consider using probiotic spray
- do not leave your pet(s) on your bed or in the bedroom
- Avoid elements that attract dust such as decorative pillows, soft toys or clothes racks without protection or open cabinets
- install a HEPA air filter
- ventilate the room vigorously in the morning and then close your windows, especially in pollen season
Fragrances
We already talked about pepper, but wasabi, tobacco smoke, paint smells, deodorants, cleaning products or a strong perfume can also trigger a pungent sneeze. These odors do not contain an allergen but can irritate your mucous membranes, causing you to sneeze. If you are permanently or temporarily confronted with odors that irritate you and you cannot avoid them, consider installing an air purifier in your bedroom.
Medicine
Certain medications can cause sneezing or worsen sneezing symptoms. Of course, it’s best to talk about this with your doctor. And to help you out, the website of ENT Amsterdam has created a handy list. This way you can quickly check if you are taking a medication that has coughing or sneezing as a side effect. Check this link.
Waking up to sneeze
So there are quite a few elements that can lead to sneezing. And, of course, also when you go to sleep and lie in your bed. Yet you cannot sneeze in your sleep. That’s because the sneezing reflex is suppressed by your brain when you sleep. Presumably this is so to ensure that you literally don’t wake up and because sleep takes precedence as an important process.
And yet … Japanese research shows that strong stimuli do make you sneeze in your sleep. And then, of course, you bolt awake as well. Japanese researchers at Shiga University of Medical Science stimulated the noses of sleeping subjects with wasabi. Within two minutes, while sneezing, they were awakened from their sleep. All but one test subject turned out to have a blocked nose.(source Quest)
Frequently asked questions:
Can you sneeze in deep sleep or brake sleep?
You cannot sneeze during sleep because your brain suppresses the sneeze reflex. During REM sleep, on top of that, your muscles are “paralyzed,” including the diaphragm and abdominal muscles you need to sneeze.
Why sneeze at night?
When we do sneeze, we also wake up. We usually sneeze because the mucous membranes are stimulated by an allergy, an odor or the impact of certain medications.
What to do when sneezing?
Get rid of the source of the overstimulation as soon as possible or take appropriate medication to calm your lungs and nose.
Can you sneeze in your sleep – Conclusion
You may be stimulated to sneeze during sleep. As a result, you will also be awake. Sneezing during sleep is not possible because your brain suppresses this reflex. During REM sleep, the muscles you need to sneeze are also paralyzed.
