Do people sneeze in their sleep?

Question

My partner told me that sometimes I sneeze in my sleep, but I never remember doing it. Is that even possible? Do people really sneeze while they are sleeping?

Baldev Singh · Accepted Answer

In all my years, I have rarely seen anyone sneeze while fully asleep. Usually, your body wakes up slightly to sneeze if there is dust in the nose. You can keep a cup of warm water with a drop of eucalyptus oil near the bed to keep your nose clear at night.

Ananya Sen · Answer

Actually, the brain shuts down the sneezing reflex when we sleep deeply, so you usually have to wake up slightly to sneeze.

Pooja Hegde · Answer

I was worrying that my allergy issues might cause me to choke or sneeze in my sleep without me knowing. But reading up on it, it seems our body is designed so beautifully that we can't sneeze in deep sleep. That is so reassuring, isn't it?

Vikas Oberoi · Answer

Whenever I feel a strong urge to sneeze during the night, I always wake up first to do it. I have never sneezed while being fully unconscious, it's like the body's natural alarm system.

Aman Preet · Answer

No, the reflexes are relaxed during deep sleep, so you cannot sneeze without waking up first.

Ravi Shastri · Answer

Look, science says your nerves are basically asleep when you are in deep sleep, so sneezing is impossible then. If you are sneezing, it means you have woken up momentarily, even if you don't remember it. Nothing to worry about.

Jaspreet Kaur · Answer

During REM sleep, certain muscle groups go into a temporary state of paralysis, which includes the reflexes that trigger a sneeze. So you practically have to cross over to a lighter stage of sleep to sneeze. It's just how our nervous system protects us.

Do people sneeze in their sleep?

7 answers

Consult a internal medicine specialist

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