Sneezing is a method for the body to eradicate any irritants from the nose or throat. The act of sneezing is an involuntary reflex, which means you do it without any conscious thought. So, can you sneeze in your sleep? When you are in a deep slumber, if any irritants trigger a sneeze, you will wake up to sneeze but cannot sneeze in your sleep. Let’s unpack more on can people sneeze in their sleep!
What Causes Sneezing?
Why do we sneeze? When there is an irritation in your throat or nasal canal, a sneeze is triggered. Let’s take a look at what causes sneezing. Take a look.
Allergies
If you are prone to allergies, then there are chances that dust particles or pollen may enter your nasal cavity causing sneezing. This may wake you up and you may sneeze in your sleep.
Infections
Infections that are caused by viruses, such as the common cold or flu can result in sneezing. It may also wake you up for bouts of sneezing.
Less common causes
Some of the less common reasons why sneezing occurs are because;
- Photic sneeze reflex: This is a condition where bright light can cause sneezing as the light rays cause tingles in the nose. For instance, the bright rays of the sun.
- Stomach sneeze reflex: Also known as snatiation, this is a process where the process of digestion of food triggers sneezing. All that is known here is that sneezing may occur when your stomach is stretched, but the reasons behind it are still unclear.
But, do you sneeze in your sleep? No, you will not be able to sneeze in your sleep, but the trigger will cause you to wake up and then sneeze.
How does sneezing affect sleep?
A sneeze isn’t triggered during sleep since the nerves also rest that time. This is especially true if you enter the REM or Rapid Eye Movement cycle. So, let’s understand more about these cycles and how a sneeze can affect sleep.
Our sleep can be put into four-six cycles, including Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM). 75% of sleep is made of NREM and the remaining 25% is REM. The other stages of sleep are;
Stage 1:
This is the first stage where even with a slight disturbance you will be awake. There is a slow eye movement alongside muscle relaxation and contraction. In this stage, You may easily sneeze as you are not in a deep slumber.
Stage 2:
During this stage, your eye no longer moves and you’re asleep. Your temperature, heart rate, and brain waves slow down, easing you to fall into a deep sleep. So, the chances of you sneezing in sleep are extremely low, unless you are woken up by the tickling sensation in the nose, which can then lead to a sneeze.
Stage 3:
The brain waves slow down in stage three and they are known as delta waves. During this time, your blood pressure tends to drop a little. The delta waves mix with rapid brain waves and let you fall into a dark sleep. Here, waking up will make you feel confused and foggy. Here, you will not sneeze in your sleep.
REM:
This is the stage where you dream as your brain is awake but your body sleeps. The dreams that occur here are something you usually remember as your brain is still awake. But this stage then goes on to REM atonia, where you won’t be able to sneeze in your sleep.
Atonia means the loss of muscle strength. In this stage, your muscles are fully relaxed, and your body is asleep but the brain is awake. However, the neurotransmitters of the body are shut at this time, so even if an allergen enters the body, it doesn’t trigger sneezing in you. During NREM, if a sneeze is triggered, you may wake up to sneeze. However, just like you don’t experience hunger in sleep, this stage suppresses the need to sneeze in your sleep.
Adults vs. Children Sneeze During Sleep
Both adults and children experience triggers that cause sneezing. Child sneezing in sleep is common and they are more prone to waking up to sneeze during their sleep because the sleep and wake cycles aren’t regulated yet and they mature as they age. This is one of the reasons why children are more likely to experience sleepwalking and urinating in sleep.
Does sleep suppress other urges?
Yes, some of the urges that are suppressed during sleep are;
- Hunger
- Thirst
- Hiccups
- Urination
- Defecation
But not all the above-mentioned urges are controlled by relaxing muscles, such as sneezing. Instead, some neurons help control the bowel and the bladder.
As research suggests, you will not be able to sneeze during sleep when you are in a deep slumber. However, if the triggers are powerful, then you may wake up sneezing. So, why don’t you sneeze in your sleep? During REM, our bodies enter sleep paralysis, where the muscles don’t actively function. Therefore, it becomes impossible to sneeze in your sleep.
