{"id":34879,"date":"2025-04-28T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=34879"},"modified":"2025-03-13T17:57:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T17:57:52","slug":"can-you-sneeze-in-your-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/can-you-sneeze-in-your-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Possible to Sneeze in Your Sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sneezing is a totally normal, common bodily response\u2014especially during certain times of year (think spring allergies<\/a> and cold and flu season<\/a>). But what about in your sleep? Do you sneeze in your sleep? Or can<\/em> you sleep in your sleep, even?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a deep dive into sleep and sneezing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What causes sneezing? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we jump into answering the question of whether people sneeze in their sleep, let\u2019s touch on what, exactly, causes sneezing to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSneezing happens when something irritates the lining of your nose\u2014like dust, pollen, pet dander, or even a sudden change in temperature,\u201d says Shelby Harris<\/a>, PsyD, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. \u201cIt\u2019s your body\u2019s way of clearing out whatever doesn\u2019t belong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, essentially, when your nose is introduced to something that irritates it, your body\u2014in an effort to get rid of the irritant\u2014responds with a sneeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing that’s worth noting? Sneezing isn\u2019t a conscious reaction. You can’s just say, “Hmm…my nose feels irritated and itchy!<\/em>” and then force yourself to sneeze; it just happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA sneeze is triggered by the trigeminal nerve, which connects your face and brain, making it a reflex you can’t really control,\u201d explains Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you sneeze in your sleep? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OK, now that you know what causes sneezing, let\u2019s jump into the big question: Do people sneeze in their sleep?\u00a0The answer: \u201cYou actually can\u2019t sneeze while you\u2019re fully asleep,\u201d says Harris.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because \u201cduring deep sleep stages<\/a>, your body suppresses most reflexes, including sneezing,\u201d says Harris. \u201cEven if something irritates your nose, your brain doesn\u2019t process it the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, when your body is in REM or deep sleep, the reflex that causes you to sneeze is also at rest\u2014so you won\u2019t have the sneeze reaction in the same way you would when you\u2019re awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, do you sneeze in your sleep? No\u2014at least not in deeper sleep stages. But that doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re immune from sneezing from the time you go to sleep to when you wake up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in the \u201clight sleep\u201d stage (and have yet to fall into deeper sleep)\u00a0or\u00a0<\/em>if your body is coming out of deep sleep and starting to wake up, you may be prone to sneezing. \u201cIf the irritation is strong enough, though, it might wake you up\u2014and then you\u2019d sneeze,\u201d adds Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s also interesting to note is that it\u2019s not just sneezing that’s suppressed while you\u2019re sleeping. \u201cA lot of reflexes and automatic functions slow down while you sleep,\u201d says Harris. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n