• Question: What happens when you try to surpress a sneeze?

    Asked by 08cguscott to Ailsa, Evan, James, Ryan on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Evan Keane

      Evan Keane answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      Ha! Good question! 🙂 I don’t think there is anything harmful that happens if you prevent yourself from sneezing. Although it is not always possible as it is sometimes a bit automatic. I’ve heard people say your eyes will pop out if you keep them open when you sneeze but that is nonsense! But I’d be impresses if you could hold your eyes open while sneezing – they automatically close by a reflex. I can’t control this reflex – can you?

      Did you know you can’t sneeze when in REM sleep? I thought that was a strange/interesting factoid!

      Also, here is the video of the best sneeze ever! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk

    • Photo: Ailsa Powell

      Ailsa Powell answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      It’s quite difficult to suppress a sneeze, whenever I try because I’m in a quiet room full of people, I just end up making an odd squeaking noise and wishing I’d just sneezed normally! If you manage to suppress it, I think you will just sneeze later on – the stuff up your nose that you want to sneeze out is still there!

      I’ve also heard the myth that your eyes would pop out if you had them open while sneezing but like Evan I think it’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open, it is a reflex. And even if you could I don’t think your eyes would pop out – that would require a lot of force!

      And to add to Evan’s factoid on REM sleep, you can’t actually move when in REM sleep. Your body become paralysed to stop you acting out dreams (dreaming happens in REM sleep).
      🙂

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