Why Do We Sneeze?
Jun 27, 2025
You feel a tickle start in your nose. It builds and builds, and then all of a sudden. . .
Achoo!!
We have all sneezed. In fact, one study found that most people sneeze about four times per day.1 But have you ever wondered why and how sneezes happen? Let’s find out!
Sneezing is your body’s way of clearing dust, pollen, or other irritants from your nose.
Sneezes happen in two phases. First, the sensory phase begins when you feel a tickle in your nose. The nerves in your nose detect an intruder and send a signal to your brain. The second phase is the respiratory phase. Your brain activates muscles in your stomach, chest, and head, and pressure builds up in your lungs. Finally, your tongue presses to the roof of your mouth to close off your throat, forcing the sneeze through your nose.
Some people sneeze when exposed to a bright light, like when they walk outside in the sun. This is called ACHOO syndrome. Sometimes people sneeze after eating a big meal, when their stomach stretches from being full. This is called the snatiation (snay-shee-AY-shin) reflex.
Even in a fallen world where we experience sickness or allergies, God designed our bodies with protective features like sneezes to help us recover from pain and illness.
Interested in learning about some sneezy animals? Read about animals who sneeze for surprising reasons here.
Do you have a question about God’s Word or his world that you want us to answer? Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Ask your parents to help you submit your question today. Watch for our answer here on the blog or in Kids Answers magazine. We’d love to hear from you!
Footnotes
- Bjarne Hansen and Niels Mygind, “How Often Do Normal Persons Sneeze and Blow the Nose?,” Rhinology 40, no. 1 (March 2002): 10–12, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12012947/.
