Why does looking at the sun make me sneeze?

We usually sneeze to protect ourselves from irritants such as pollen, dust, or chemicals. But there are some people who consistently sneeze when they look at the sun. In fact, this affects from 10 to 35% of us when we move from being in the shade to bright light, according to PBS.org.

If it happens to you, perhaps you’ve been wondering if it’s an allergy to sunlight, but actually it isn’t. The reaction triggered by sudden exposure to light is called the photic sneeze reflex. It is a congenital physiological anomaly that’s pretty common and totally harmless.

Why does this reaction occur? What happens in the body when we sneeze? Should you suppress a sneeze? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: June 4th, 2023

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