No, your heart does not stop when you sneeze.

A sneeze begins with a tickling sensation in the nerve endings that sends a message to your brain that it needs to rid itself of something irritating the lining of your nose. You first take a deep breath and hold it, which tightens your chest muscles. The pressure of air in your lungs increases, you close your eyes, your tongue presses against the roof of your mouth and suddenly your breath comes out fast through your nose.

So where did the myth originate that your heart stops when you sneeze?  The changing pressure in your chest due to sneezing also changes your blood flow, which may change the rhythm of your heartbeat. Dr. Richard Conti, past president of the American College of Cardiology, speculates that the belief that the heart actually comes to a stop during a sneeze could result from the sensation of having the heart “skip a beat.” When there is a prolonged delay before the heart’s next beat, he said, that beat is then more forceful and more noticeable, perhaps as a funny sensation in the throat or upper chest (Ray, 1992).

Why do people say, “God bless you,” after someone sneezes?

There are varying accounts as to the origin of this response.  One belief is that it originated in Rome when the bubonic plague was raging through Europe.  One of the symptoms of the plague was coughing and sneezing, and it is believed that Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) suggested saying “God bless you” after a person sneezed in hopes that this prayer would protect them from an otherwise certain death.

The expression may have also originated from superstition. Some people believe that the custom of asking for God’s blessing began when ancient man thought that the soul was in the form of air and resided in the body’s head. A sneeze, therefore, might accidentally expel the spirit from the body unless God blessed you and prevented this from occurring.  Some ancient cultures also thought that sneezing forced evil spirits out of the body endangering others because these spirits might now enter their bodies. The blessing was bestowed to protect both the person who sneezed and others around him.

Sneeze responses from around the world:

English – “Bless you” or “God bless you”
German – “Gesundheit”
Greeks and Romans – “Banish the Omen”
Hindu – “Live” and responds “With you”
Zulu – “I am now blessed”

Interesting facts:

• Sneezes are an automatic reflex that can’t be stopped once sneezing starts.
• Sneezes can travel at a speed of 100 miles per hour and the wet spray can radiate five feet.
• People don’t sneeze when they are asleep because the nerves involved in nerve reflex are also resting.
• Between 18 and 35% of the population sneezes when exposed to sudden bright light.
• Some people sneeze when plucking their eyebrows because the nerve endings in the face are irritated and then fire an impulse that reaches the nasal nerve.
• Donna Griffiths from Worcestershire, England sneezed for 978 days, sneezing once every minute at the beginning. This is the longest sneezing episode on record.

How to cope with year-round allergies

Springtime may be justly famous for allergies, but for many people, the misery of sniffles, sneezing and watery eyes doesn’t end with the summer solstice. If you suffer from allergy symptoms throughout the year, chances are you have multiple allergies to irritants both indoors and out.

Take these steps to help you cope:

• Consider the culprits. You may need a doctor to pinpoint and treat your allergies, but first try to see whether you can manage mild or occasional symptoms by using over-the-counter medications and avoiding environmental triggers. Dust, pets and mold are the biggest indoor offenders. If your symptoms are seasonal, however, you may be allergic to certain pollens. In the spring, the prevalent allergen is tree pollen. Summer brings grasses, and in the fall, weeds abound.
• Explore over-the-counter treatments. Nonprescription antihistamines curb the body’s actual allergic response and work best when you take them routinely. Decongestants may improve breathing. Don’t use nose drops and sprays for more than three days because longer use may cause more harm. Eye drops can provide some temporary symptom relief.
• Is it a vicious allergen or a virus? While both can cause a runny nose, coughing and sneezing, allergies usually have a clear discharge and don’t cause aches, pains or fever. Allergies may come on suddenly, but symptoms tend to linger through a season or more. Colds usually run their course within a week.
• See your doctor. See your health care provider if over-the-counter remedies and self-care measures don’t offer relief, your symptoms worsen or you develop asthma-like reactions such as wheezing. You may need to see an allergist for skin testing or further treatment.

Controlling triggers

Reducing your contact with indoor and outdoor allergens may help make your symptoms more manageable.

Try these measures:

• Limit contact with pets.
• Avoid carpets, which can trap dust and animal dander.
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.
• Run a HEPA purifier in your bedroom.
• Make sure basements, bathrooms and kitchens are well ventilated and cleaned frequently to prevent mold and mildew.
• Use a dehumidifier in damp basements.
• Keep windows closed and use air conditioning during peak pollen months.
• Stay indoors during peak pollen hours, from 5 to 10 a.m.
• Make your home a smoke-free environment.
• Avoid aerosols, paint, perfumes and cleaning products with strong fumes.

Covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean can help prevent the spread of serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and COVID-19. Germs can be easily spread by:

• Coughing, sneezing, or talking
• Touching your face with unwashed hands after touching contaminated surfaces or objects
• Touching surfaces or objects that may be frequently touched by other people

To help stop the spread of germs:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
• Throw used tissues in the trash
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands

Remember to immediately wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent yourself and your loved ones from getting sick, especially at key times when you are likely to get and spread germs.

Covering coughs and sneezes and washing hands are especially important for infection control measures in healthcare settings, such as emergency departments, doctor’s offices, and clinics.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands

To help prevent the spread of respiratory disease, you can also avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are ill, you should try to distance yourself from others so you do not spread your germs. Distancing includes staying home from work or school when possible.