Human Body

Blood and Circulation

Does your heart stop beating when you sneeze?

The heart does not stop when you sneeze. Sneezing, however, does affect the cardiovascular system. It causes a change in pressure inside the chest. This change in pressure affects the blood flow to the heart, which in turn affects the heart’s rhythm. Therefore, a sneeze does produce a harmless delay between one heartbeat and the next, often misinterpreted as a “skipped beat.”



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