Can you sneeze during sleep?

Question

Sometimes, I wake up right after feeling like I'm about to sneeze, but the sneeze never fully comes out. Does this mean you can actually sneeze during sleep? Or is it just my body half-waking up to sneeze?

Kavitha Rajan · Accepted Answer

From what I have read, our body's reflexes are usually suppressed during deep sleep, so we don't sneeze while actually sleeping. If you do sneeze, it usually wakes you up first, though I might not be 100% correct on the science.

Sushma Swaraj · Answer

Actually, our brain shuts down the sneezing reflex when we are in deep sleep. If there is a strong allergy trigger, your body will first wake you up, and then you will sneeze. Keep your bedroom dust-free to prevent these sudden awakenings.

Alok Sharma · Answer

I asked an ENT specialist at Lilavati Hospital about this because of my constant nighttime allergies. He explained that during REM sleep, the muscles are relaxed and the sneeze reflex is temporarily shut down. You should consult a doctor if allergies are disrupting your sleep.

Balkrishna Dev · Answer

To prevent waking up with sneezing fits, try drinking warm tulsi ginger water before bed and keep your pillows clean. However, if this is happening due to severe sinus issues or breathing difficulty at night, please see an ENT doctor.

Rahul Kapoor · Answer

I often wake up gasping and sneezing in the middle of the night and it really panics me. Does this happen to anyone else? I always wonder if I was sneezing while asleep or if the allergy just woke me up suddenly.

Can you sneeze during sleep?

5 answers

Consult a internal medicine specialist

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