What is a Sneeze
Sneezing (also known as sternutation) is a normal response to irritation of sensitive tissues in the nasal passages. The most common irritants may be dust, pollen, physical stimulation, infection, chemicals or similar causes. Some people may sneeze when they are chilled, others when they pluck their eyebrows. Sneezing is a reflex. A reflex is when your body does something automatically and is something that you have no control over.
The sneezing response is a complex one, involving stimulation of the nasal tissues, and processing by a "sneeze center" in a distinct structure of the brainstem, thought to reside in the lateral medulla. Receptors there appear to affect the ability to sneeze. Some of the muscles involved in a sneeze are the abdominal (belly) muscles, the chest muscles, the diaphragm (the large muscle beneath your lungs that makes you breathe), the muscles that control your vocal cords, and muscles in the back of your throat. And don't forget the eyelid muscles! All this happens automatically. Researchers at Cambridge University in the UK have discovered that blinking when sneezing is a subconscious reaction given by your brain in order to prevent bacteria and debris from making contact with your eyes when sneezing.
Sneezing is very good for you and your body because it removes things from your body like bacteria and germs. It also is good because it keeps the tubes that carry the air from your nose to the lungs healthy. Sneezing makes your nose clear when you have a cold. If you used to hate sneezing, then I hope this has changed your mind.
Sneeze Facts
- There is a rare psychogenic syndrome of intractable "pseudosneezing" related to psychological stresses.
- You always close your eyes when you sneeze.
- People can't sneeze when they are asleep.
- 95% of people in one study sneezed and blew their noses less than 4 times a day when they didn't have colds.
- A typical sneeze can expel thousands of droplets at a speed of 150 km per hour or roughly 100 mph, with a range of up to a meter and a half.
- Thomas Edison used his early movie-camera technology to film the action of sneezes.
- In ancient times, many people believed that a person's soul was made of air and was located inside the head. Therefore, sneezing seemed like an activity that would dislodge the soul and allow it to escape.
- In the Middle Ages, minor illness could lead to death, so the sound of someone sneezing was frightening. People would say "God bless you" in an attempt to protect the sneezer from sickness or death.
- Many people mistakenly believe Gesundheit is "God bless you" in German, but it actually simply means "healthiness."
- The longest sneezing spree: 978 days, a record set by Donna Griffiths of Worcestershire, England.
- The sneeziest animal: the iguana. Iguanas sneeze more often and more productively than any other animal.
- How do you stop a sneeze? While it's not foolproof, "Try breathing through your mouth and pinching the end of your nose,"
- Your eyeballs cannot pop out of your head when you sneeze.
Old Wives’ Tales
- A newborn child is said to be under ‘the fairy spells’ until it has sneezed for the first time.
- It was believed that an idiot could not sneeze, so a child’s first sneeze was extremely important.
- If you sneeze when talking you are telling the truth.
- A sneeze suggests that someone, somewhere is saying good things about you.
- It is unlucky to sneeze at the same time as someone who is with you.
Sources:
- WashingtonPost.com. "Anatomy of a Sneeze." (July 28, 2009)
- Cornell Center for Materials Research. "Ask a Scientist! Sneezing occurs due to irritation of the nose- or bright light." Dec. 13, 2006 (July 28, 2009) http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=1191
- Foreman, Judy. "Why do my eyes close every time I sneeze?" The Boston Globe. June 15, 2004 (July 28, 2009).http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2004/06/15/why_do_my_eyes_close_every_time_i_sneeze/