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- Does this happen to you too? You wake up in the morning, and all of a sudden start sneezing uncontrollably.
- Well, turns out it's quite normal for people to sneeze in the morning, and there are various reasons for this occurrence – from allergies to photic sneeze reflex.
- We also look at why it's not possible to sneeze while you sleep.
My morning routine starts like this: wake up, open the curtains, sneeze exactly two times, and then get on with the rest of my day.
Yes, every single morning, upon waking up, I sneeze. And over the years, I realised that I was not the only one. Some friends or family members would sneeze two or three times upon waking, just like me, while others would go into a complete sneezing fit, letting out multiple "achoos!" at once.
As someone who struggles with allergies, my morning sneezes don't surprise me too much. But they still left me feeling curious.
Turns out there are a number of things that could trigger a morning sneezing fit.
What is a sneeze?
Firstly, let's start with the function of a sneeze. Simply put, sneezing, also known as sternutation, happens when something agitates the nose. A signal is sent to the brain, and the sneeze occurs as a way to expel the irritant from the body.
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Why do I sneeze in the morning?
Allergic rhinitis
Allergens such as pollen, dust and pets are a common trigger for morning sneezing. The sneeze is the body's attempt to clear out any allergens accumulated while you slept.
Pollen counts tend to rise in the morning, but according to sites like pollencount.co.za, they tend to be higher in the afternoon.
Things like dust in your room, pet hair or other irritants in your bedding could also trigger allergic reactions.
These allergens enter through the nasal passage and cause inflammation. Sneezing, runny or blocked nose and watering eyes are symptoms often associated with allergic rhinitis.
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Dry air
Do you sleep with an air conditioner on? Or is the air just particularly dry in your region? Dry air could lead to dry nasal passages, which could also be a possible trigger for your morning sneezes.
There are ways to remedy this. Firstly, try not to sleep with the air conditioner on – they dry out the air and could leave you feeling dehydrated and your throat feeling dry and scratchy, too. Using a humidifier is a great way to add some moisture back into the air at night.
Photic sneeze reflex
Have you heard of people saying bright light could trigger a sneeze? Well, it's true. This is known as photic sneeze reflex or Achoo (autosomal dominant compulsive helio-ophthalmic outburst) syndrome.
According to Scientific American, it is most commonly triggered by the sun. Things like leaving a dimly lit space and walking into the sunlight or opening your curtains in the morning and allowing the bright light to come flooding in.
"The number of induced sneezes – which seems to be genetically mediated and can be predicted within a family – is constant from episode to episode and typically numbers two or three," they write.
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Why don't we sneeze while we sleep?
Okay, you've built up all these irritants in your nose while sleeping, so why doesn't the body just expel them throughout the night?
According to Medical News Today, a person could wake up during the night to sneeze, but it's not possible to sneeze while you sleep.
So, most commonly, people just sneeze when they wake up in the morning. The process that causes a person to sneeze shuts down when we're sleeping.
"During REM sleep, the body shuts down, and the muscles enter paralysis. As the muscles are not actively functioning, it becomes impossible to sneeze," they write.
It is worth noting, however, that this is also dependent upon the stage of the sleep cycle you're in.
The research shows that during NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep, children are more likely to move around – sleep walking, eating, urinating – and, therefore, more likely to be able to sneeze during this sleep cycle.
When to see a doctor
Chances are your morning sneezing episodes are harmless, but, of course, there are cases when they could be linked to other illnesses like a viral infection. Always seek the advice of a medical professional when you have questions related to your health.
