Do you STOP BREATHING when someone sneezes?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
April 9, 2007 4:37am CST
Ah-Choo! There you go.. someone just sneezed again. Lol :P
The common cold is not labeled common without a reason. The implication is quite literal. People get hit by the common cold quite a few times in their lives, and exceptions to this are quite on the rare side. I am not going to ask if you had ever sneezed before. You probably deserve a place in the museum if your answer is an honest no.
Instead, I like you to think back on your reaction when someone around you sneezes. Fair enough, you might be a nice soul like me and say things to the effect of "God bless you". But what do you do yourself? Do you STOP BREATHING?
I find myself holding my breath when someone goes *ah-choo* around me. After all, the cold is an airborne ailment and no matter how nice I am, me getting sick just doesn't help that poor guy get any better. I would be better off staying healthy myself. Regardless, I am not sure if holding my breath and getting some fresh air work - I might probably have breathed in the virus anyway - but it's just a natural survival mechanism, so to speak.
So what about you? What do you do when someone sneezes? Stop breathing? Move around? Take a deep breath (lol)? Do share your thoughts. ^^
27 people like this
84 responses
@misheleen73 (6037)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I honestly have never thought about it. I don't think I stop breathing. I usually say "Bless you" and continue on my merry way. If there is a virus to be found, you probably breathed it in way before you held your breath. Now if they sneeze into their hands, then touch me, I freak out. Just for the whole "boogey" factor. YUCK !!
7 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
What if someone keeps sneezing in the same room as you, and you can't move away? :P
4 people like this
@misheleen73 (6037)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I don't know.. I never thought about it really. Sometimes people sneeze from allergies and that is not transmitted, I never have thought I would get sick from that. It's just not something that goes through my mind.
4 people like this
@mariyamaka (931)
• India
9 Apr 07
this might sound a bit funny but i hate when anyone sneezes around i get irriated!!! i just don like that sound...lol! ya i do stop breathing... as am a muslim in our religon it is said when you sneeze your heart stops fot that second... that is why you should say thanks to god after you sneeze for giving your life back! and if anyone one standind near him should also praise god!
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
A heart stopping sneeze? I must admit this is somewhat new to me. I actually remember one Muslim friend telling me that sneezing is GOOD. He compared it with yawning which is like devil stealing your soul... guess there are difference in Islam beliefs across the different countries.
3 people like this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
9 Apr 07
My husband used to sneeze like six times in a row.. quite often.. so that now, yes I too, find it irritating if I'm talking to a family member or trying to listen to something and someone sneezes.. I know it's silly and I give myself hell for it, but can't help it!
One time we were going around some S curves on the harley and hubby starting sneezing his six times in a row, so I slapped him and told him to knock it off.. I wasn't too happy about sneezing on the motorcycle around S curves!
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
You can capture him on a video and it might make the top list at youtube. :P
2 people like this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
9 Apr 07
i cannot remember the time i had actually. i never hold my breath and stop inhaling, that's a wise, scientific thing to do though. frankly lordwarwizard, i never thought that way until you posted this and i went through it. whenever, i hear sneezes around, i murmur "bless you" just out of old decorum imbibed in by my parents.
thanx for helping in imbibing yet another , if not decorum, but a hardhitting practical science.
...hello.....pls hold your breath...ah-chooo....
5 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
I hope you did not breathe deep before saying those "God bless you". :P
4 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
9 Apr 07
ha ha ha, never actually considered this but i can really see myself standing on the bus holding my breath when someone sneezes now =)
Probably it doesn´t help though, atleast not if u have been in the present of the person before the sneezing. he probably is spreading the virus just breathing =)
7 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
At least just turn away for some "fresher" air.. or to the window if the bus is not an air-conditioned one.
4 people like this
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
9 Apr 07
Yep. i do remember the times to i reacted that way, whenever someone sneezed, i stopped breathing.
I was always caculating my tasks for the week, wondering if because of that sneeze, i would be confined to bed, with a package of tissue, saying the F word, and wondering how i could be so responsibile, not avoiding this sneeze.LOL.
But today, it all seems so ridiculous. it is well known, that if your immune system is alright, then you do not tend to catch every germ that flows in the air, when someone sneezes. so i am not terrorized anymore. lol.
i just take a vaccination against the flu, in the begining of the winter, try to eat right and have a healthy and balanced life, and usually i do not catch nothing.
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
9 Apr 07
because you can never know when one is going to sneeze, and if he sneezed will he put a hand on his mouth, or do one of those spontenious sneezes, that everyone is effected of..lol..so the less we worry, the more we sleep good at night without predicting the future cold..in our sleep..don't you agree?
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
Yes you are right... but why take chances? :P
5 people like this
@tzvetelina (467)
• Bulgaria
9 Apr 07
Yes! I really stop breathing as longer as I can, because I don't want to get viruses or something. I f I take a deep breath this way I would 'grab' from the microbes.
7 people like this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I just follow my same routine when someone sneezes. I do not do anything different as I do not feel that holding our breath will prevent us from getting sick. Usually when I get home though, I will take some Nyquil to be safe. I won't take it though when I am out, even the Dayquil, cause both of them make me very drowsy. If stop breathing when someone sneezes has been proven to be effective, I may try it.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
You mean you take medicine before you are being ill?
2 people like this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
9 Apr 07
My housemate has a nasty habit of never putting his hand over his mouth when he sneezes, it really really irritates the hell out of me and I'm always on at him to put his hand over his mouth and if I do catch a cold his name is mud. I usually put my sleeve over my mouth to stop those nasty little bugs infecting me.
4 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
Maybe you should fine him or something. :P
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
9 Apr 07
No I don't stop breathing, colds are air born the germs are in the air regardless of when you take your next breath, they are on the telephone that you talk on the door hands where people have used that have colds, the pencils you share etc.
4 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
I thought they will die within a few seconds at most..
2 people like this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
9 Apr 07
Until now, I never cared if there is somebody around who sneezes. I have always been unmindful. Now, since you bring this topic around you get me to thinking deeply. I must consider covering my face with a hankie whenever someone does that. At least, it will filter some of the virus from affecting me. Although I rarely catch cold, it is always something which is very messy and it causes headaches. With all the aches that I have to cope with daily, I will never desire any add-ons to that.
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
9 Apr 07
I tried to think back but I can't, for the life of me, ever remember having face this situation. I will find it rude and annoying if somebody did sneeze up in front of me. I always make sure to turn myself away or cover my face whenever I felt the urge to sneeze. I tried holding my breathe just now and I can only last for 10 seconds. Another second past and you'll end up losing an adorable bunny. "wink"
4 people like this
@easy888 (10405)
• Australia
9 Apr 07
Wow...wizard, you always come up with great ideas..:)
When someone is sneezing in a close distance with me , I will try to move my face away from their,at least their saliva will not directly squirt toward me, honesly ,if it happened in a train carriage ,the bacteria will still be trap inside the carriage, so the bacteria in the saliva will get into my mouth or nose anyway, but at least i feel better when i do not have direct contact with the saliva of the sneezer.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
Aw... saliva squirting? You made it sound so disgusting! :P
4 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
9 Apr 07
I cannot recall what is my reaction when someone sneezes. I guess I will still hang around but whether I stop breathing, I not sure. If the person continue sneezing non-stop I will ask what happen and ask him go on MC. So far so good no one sneeze in front of me. I only know when the little kids at home sneezes in front of me, I will have to reach for the tissue.
Just some thoughts When someone sneezes, the virus is already floating in the air. By the time you stop breathing, it is already too late unless you can predict and stop breathing before he sneezes. Then again, after he stop sneezing, the virus is also floating in the air. How long are you going to stop breathing? 1 sec, 1 min or 1 hr?
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I do everything you mention. I have a tendency to get colds and then them turn really bad on me cause I have second hand smoke disorder, and have a habit of getting pneumonia once every winter. So I stop breathing, I move and then I even stop breathing until I get around them. Too many times I have gotten horrible colds from people in public places, I do everything now to avoid this happening again.
4 people like this
@Tetchie (2932)
• Australia
9 Apr 07
Yes, I believe I do. It's more unconscious than anything. I haven't had a cold for ages!
It's pretty germy isn't it, when someone sneezes. But doesn't it feel good when you do it yourself, like a big release. And what do ya think when people sneeze really loud and it echoes in the room, or it's ear piercing. Hate that!
4 people like this
@chacks123 (129)
• India
10 Apr 07
No I dont stop breathing when some one sneezes. Because how long can you hold your breath and how can you say in the time you held your breath the cold virus have got destroyed. Holding your breath is no solution. If you really dont want to get the cold you need to stay away from the people who have cold.
2 people like this
@ackars (1942)
• India
9 Apr 07
Not always..But if Im near a known patient whom I know that has got some respiratiory infections or fever and all,then most of the times I do stop breathing for some seconds.I think its better to stop breathing for some seconds if someone coughs or sneezes in front of you which can get rid you off millions of germs...
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
9 Apr 07
I must admit I do end up covering my nose with my hankerchief. Or covering my daughter's nose. And I don't think it is viewed as rude here, because most of the persons has always a handkerchief or a hand towel with them, especially for the dust. Or if I'm alone I only move away but still cover my nose. (^^,LOL)
@jynxypanda (394)
• Philippines
10 Apr 07
Hahaa I never thought about holding my breath whenever someone sneezes. I usually say the usual "God bless you!" and turn away. I do believe that you can catch things such as colds through a sneeze but I guess I'm not that concerned about my health. lolz! Not really. It's just that I know that a person will turn away and cover his mouth when he sneezes so I don't have to worry. I do get angry though if a person sneezes right in front of me or in front of food because that is unacceptable! i usually give him a lecturing or two so they'll remember it =)
2 people like this
