Something weird happened to me today.
My friend and I sneezed at the exact same time.
In all my years, never have I sneezed simultaneously with someone!
My surprised and curious brain then started to wonder:
What if everyone in the world (all 7.5 billion of us!) sneezed at the exact same time?
Worst case scenario, there may be some accidents on the road.
After all, your eyes automatically close whenever you sneeze.
By the way, do you know why that is?
Experts aren’t sure, but they believe it’s your body's natural reflex to keep all that
germy stuff that’s flying out of your nose from getting in your eyes!
And you know, sometimes some…things come flying out with a sneeze.
All I’ll say is, “Clean up on Aisle 5…or the back of that guy’s head…”
Ew!
This worldwide “Achoo” would be pretty loud too, especially for those who happen
to be at a stadium or other packed area on International Sneeze Day!
As a matter of fact, a particularly thunderous sneeze can peak at 90 decibels – that’s
as loud as a lawn mower!
Hey, what type of sneezer are you?
Stick around to find out – I have a fun little test for ya!
Anyway, if you’ve ever scared your cat because of a boisterous sneeze, then imagine all the
birds flying from trees, woodland creatures scurrying into the forest when the whole world
lets out such a sound!
Speaking of stadiums, you’d likely see a cloud form since one sneeze can contain up
to 40,000 droplets of mucus!
And all those germs, ick!
I imagine many people would be sick with the cold or flu the next day!
Of course, it’s not daylight at the same time all around the globe.
So just think of the people who’d be woken up in the middle of the night!
Or if you’re watching TV when it happens.
The news anchor would be stopped mid-sentence.
I bet this event would go down in history.
People will ask each other, “Where were you on the day the whole world sneezed?”
In all reality, nothing major would probably happen if all of us sneezed at the same time.
But I do hope that shortly afterward, you’d hear a “Bless you!”
“Salud!”
Gesundheit!
“Whatever the French say” or wherever you might be and whatever you might say after
someone sneezes!
Ok, I won’t let my brain wander too far on that one, but here are some other things
I found out during my 4 a.m. Google search on everything there is to know about sneezing!
Sternutation It’s the scientific word for sneezing.
Yeah, throw that out there during your next small-talk sesh with the café barista!
Hey bless your sternutation there, pal!
Sneezing is good for you!
Ever had problems with your computer only to realize restarting fixed everything?
That’s what a sneeze does for your nasal cavity – it resets it!
The mucus that comes shooting out can also be an indicator of your overall health.
If it’s clear, that’s good!
If it’s green, yellow, or brown, you might have an infection that’ll need to be seen
by a doctor.
Does your heart really stop when you sneeze?
While the rhythm certainly changes when you let out a big one, your heart doesn’t actually
stop beating.
That would be scary!
How does milk come out of your nose in a sneeze?
Wait, has that happened to you?
It’s possible!
It’s because your nose and throat are closely connected.
If you’re not done swallowing whatever you’re eating or drinking when you sneeze, it might
make its way out your nose!
Why do we cover up when we sneeze?
Well, first, are you doing it the right way?
Don’t sneeze into your hands – do it into a tissue or your upper sleeve.
Why dab it out?
Because one sneeze carries about 100,000 germs!
And the louder the sneeze, the faster the air moves, sometimes up to 100 mph!
It can also project mucus up to 5 feet away from your body!
Oh, now that global sneeze sounds really messy…
Is it ok if I hold it in?
No, don’t do that!
Holding in a sneeze can damage blood vessels in your eyes and brain.
Ouch!
So, why do we sneeze?
Sneezing is the brain’s way of ordering dust, dander, and pollen out of your nose.
And here’s a bonus question: if you’ve ever wondered why you sneeze multiple times,
that’s simply how many tries it took for your nose and body to clear out whatever was
irritating you.
Will that work on my boss?
Hey if it’s not all out after one sneeze, brace yourself!
More are coming, and you’ll be better for it!
Why do some people sneeze really loud, but others are quiet?
It’s not set in stone, but usually bigger people (that is, the ones with larger chest
cavities) create louder sneezes.
Different nostril sizes can also affect the volume of a sneeze.
The next time you hear someone let out a quiet little “tszt!” casually check out the
size of their nostrils.
Do the same thing when you hear a hearty “ACHOOOOO!”
Science says there’s a direct correlation.
In fact, according to Patti A. Wood, a body language expert and lead of the Benadryl Sneeze
Analysis, there are 4 types of sneezers in this world.
Let’s check them out and see where you fall!
Let me know down in the comments which type you are!
1.
The Nice or Sensitive Sneezer This is a quiet sneezer.
You know the type.
They politely cover their nose and mouth when they feel one coming on.
They’re naturally nurturing and don’t like inconveniencing others.
Their subtle sneeze might be followed by a quick “Excuse me.”
2.
The “Be Right” Sneezer These people are methodical, and everything
they do has to be “just so.”
They, too, will cover up when they sneeze, but they’re less concerned with how it affects
those around them.
They’re only interested in the correct execution of said sneeze.
As long as they do it the right way and don’t spread germs, all is right in their mind.
3.
The “Get It Done” Sneezer Efficiency – it’s their middle name.
They want it out, and they want it out NOW.
The Get It Done Sneezers have no time to waste when it comes to nose irritants.
They have more important things to do.
Moving on…
4.
The Enthusiastic Sneezer Ah, if sneezing was a sport, these guys would
be cheerleaders!
They’re charismatic and a blast to be around (quite literally if they feel a tickle in
their nose!).
When their brain tells their nose to get something out, everyone around them will know it!
Their sneezes are grandiose and loud.
If you’re still not sure which category you fall into, ask your family or friends;
they’ll know!
Also, have them observe you in different situations since most people sneeze differently in public
versus in private.
Sneezing in a restaurant is naturally going to sound different than sneezing at home.
Ok, last flash round of cool sneezing facts.
Other than the obvious stuff like dust, dander, pollen, and pepper, what are some of the weirdest
things that make people sneeze?
- The Sun Yup, that’s right.
A “photic” sneeze reflex happens when we walk outside and take a good look at our
closest star or the light it projects.
So thank the sun next time you go for an outdoor walk first thing in the morning only to be
interrupted by a fit of sneezing.
- Strong Emotions Happiness, sadness, and anger are all emotions
that affect our whole body, sneezing included!
So if you’re ever crying, walking on Cloud 9, or seeing red, and you let out a big one,
remember that it’s normal.
Your body’s just doing its thing.
- Spicy Food Here’s a big term: gustatory rhinitis.
That’s a fancy way of saying an inflammation of the glands in your nose caused by something
you eat or smell.
Since spicy food tends to get the sweat glands going, sneezing is quite common!
- Cold Air Ready for another big term?
Peripheral vasoconstriction!
It sounds like some magical spell, (expectorate mucusium!) but it basically means most of
the heat in your body transfers to your core when it’s cold.
Your nose becomes terribly dry, making you more prone to let out a big “achoo!”
Staying hydrated during the winter should help you avoid it.
- Hot Showers If you find yourself sneezing in the shower,
the fragrance in your shampoo, conditioner, or body wash may be the cause.
If you start sneezing before scrubbing, you may be allergic to your tap water.
More specifically, you could be reacting strongly to the chlorine in it.
- Dark Chocolate Remember the photic sneeze caused by the sun?
Dark chocolate triggers the same sneeze in about one quarter of the population.
You have genetics to thank for that one!
- Carbonated Drinks We all have a TRPA1 receptor on our tongue.
When we drink a bubbly beverage, the carbon dioxide activates that receptor.
When many receptors are switched on at once, our body produces more saliva and lets out
a sneeze or sometimes a cough.
Bottom Line: Remember this advice from Elsa in Frozen.
When you gotta sneeze, it’s best to….”Let It go!”
Hey, if you learned something new today, then give the video a like and share it with a
friend!
And here are some other cool videos I think you'll enjoy.
Just click to the left or right, and stay on the Bright Side of life!