Sneezing

ACHOO!

When you feel a sneeze coming on, it is hard to stop it. Sometimes you sneeze because you have a cold. Sometimes you sneeze because of allergies. Sometimes you sneeze for seemingly no reason at all.

You sneeze because your nerves are telling your nose that something is in it. It could be mucus, it could be dust, it could be that air hit your nose the wrong way. When you have a cold, it may be bacteria or viruses in the mucus in your nose. Your nerves help your body use sneezes to get them out.

The general goal of a sneeze is just to get what's in your nose out without letting it get to the rest of your body. When you sneeze, you may notice that your eyes close tight. The rest of your head may feel tight too. This is because your brain tells your eyes, mouth, and throat to close. It creates a tightness that helps force whatever is in your nose out. When you do sneeze, it comes out at around 100 miles per hour.

While it seems nearly impossible to stop a sneeze, there is a way to try to stop it. Just pinch your nose and breathe through the end of your mouth. This will help alleviate the pressure and help stop the sneeze. Chances are once you let go of your nose and close your mouth, the sneeze will come right back.

Do not worry though. The rumors about sneezing are not true. When you sneeze your heart does not stop. If you can keep your eyes open when you sneeze, they will not pop out of your head. Sneezing is a natural and safe process that your body uses to stay healthy.