Why do people say bless you?
They say bless you because your heart stop when u sneeze.
Sneeze
[Categories: Reflexes]
A sneeze is the semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion of air from the (The organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals) nose and (The externally visible part of the oral cavity on the face and the system of organs surrounding the opening) mouth. An unimpeded sneeze sends two to five thousand ((microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered plants) bacteria-filled droplets into the air. The medical name for sneezing is sternutation.
Sneezing is generally caused by irritation in the passages of the nose. (The fine spores that contain male gametes and that are borne by an anther in a flowering plant) Pollens, house dust, and other particles are usually harmless, but when they irritate the nose the body responds by expelling them from the nasal passages. The nose mistakes strong odors, sudden chills, and even bright lights (see (Click link for more info and facts about photic sneeze reflex) photic sneeze reflex) for (An animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); the parasite obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host) parasites, and it tries to defend itself with a sneeze.
It is almost impossible for a person to keep their (Either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye) eyelids open during a sneeze. The (An automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus) reflex of shutting the (The organ of sight) eyes serves no obvious purpose: the (Any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body) nerves serving the eyes and the nose are closely related, and stimuli to the one often trigger some response in the other.
Superstitions about sneezing
In 400 BC the (A resident of Athens) Athenian general (Greek general and historian; student of Socrates (430-355 BC)) Xenophon give a dramatic oration exhorting his fellow soldiers to follow him to liberty or to death against the (An empire in southern Asia created by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC and destroyed by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC) Persians. He spoke for an hour until a soldier underscored his conclusion with a sneeze. Thinking this sneeze a favorable sign from the (The supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions) gods, the Greeks made Xenophon general and followed his command.
Among the (A person who does not acknowledge your God) pagans of (A medieval country in northern Europe that included regions now parts of northern France and Belgium and southwestern Netherlands) Flanders, a sneeze was an (A sign of something about to happen) omen. When (Click link for more info and facts about Saint Eligius) Saint Eligius (died 659/60) warned the pagans of Flanders against their (Click link for more info and facts about druidical practices) druidical practices, according to his companion and biographer Ouen, he included the following: "Do not observe auguries or violent sneezing or pay attention to any little birds singing along the road. If you are distracted on the road or at any other work, make the (A gesture with the right hand moving to form a cross; used by Catholics as a profession of faith) sign of the cross and say your (First day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians) Sunday (A fixed text used in praying) prayers with faith and devotion and nothing inimical can hurt you."
(The Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy) Roman Catholics Christianize this pagan custom with the following tale: The (Accepted or habitual practice) custom of saying "God bless you" after a violent sneeze was begun literally as a (The formal act of giving approval) blessing. (Click link for more info and facts about Pope Gregory I) Pope Gregory I the Great ( (Click link for more info and facts about 540) 540- (Click link for more info and facts about 604) 604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the (A serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected rat flea (especially bubonic plague)) plague in (Click link for more info and facts about 590) 590 AD (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for (The supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions) God's intercession. When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop (Click link for more info and facts about the plague) the plague. This custom persists among speakers of many languages: common social responses to sneezes in English include "Bless you" and " (Click link for more info and facts about Gesundheit) Gesundheit" ( (A person of German nationality) German, "health").
Sneezing in (A republic in the Asian subcontinent in southern Asia; second most populous country in the world; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947) India provokes a shorter response. Bystanders to a sneeze shout, "Live!" eliciting a response from the sneezer, "Live with you!" Most Indians consider sneezing healthy: it is the inability to sneeze that is cause for alarm. Psychology Today reports Indian scientists have labeled an inability to sneeze "asneezia" and the people of India have long used (Finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nose) snuff as a way to artificially induce the healthy sneeze.
Sneezing in (A group of culturally related countries in northern Europe; Finland and Iceland are sometimes considered Scandinavian) Scandinavian countries like (A Scandinavian kingdom in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula) Sweden, (A constitutional monarchy in northern Europe on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula; achieved independence from Sweden in 1905) Norway, and (A constitutional monarchy in northern Europe; consists of the mainland of Jutland and many islands between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea) Denmark is usually replied to with "prosit"; "may it benefit" in (Any dialect of the language of ancient Rome) Latin. The same word has also been used historically as a toast to a person's health while drinking. While it was never used in Scandinavian countries for this reason, the word "prosit" is still commonly used in (Click link for more info and facts about Bavarian) Bavarian drinking songs.
In true (A believer or follower of Islam) Muslim society, anybody who sneezes has to thank (Muslim name for the one and only God) Allah by saying " (Click link for more info and facts about Alhamdulillah) Alhamdulillah". That is how a person thanks almighty Allah for keeping him alive and safe even after a sneeze.
Sneezing has also inspired (An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear) superstition-laden (A tale in rhymed verse for children) nursery rhymes:
Sneeze on (The second day of the week; the first working day) Monday for health,
Sneeze on (The third day of the week; the second working day) Tuesday for wealth,
Sneeze on (The fourth day of the week; the third working day) Wednesday for a letter,
Sneeze on (The fifth day of the week; the fourth working day) Thursday for something better,
Sneeze on (The sixth day of the week; the fifth working day) Friday for sorrow,
Sneeze on (The seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians) Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow,
Sneeze on (First day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians) Sunday, safety seek.
One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy.
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told.
This second nursery rhyme has also been used of (Common European magpie) European Magpies.
One for a wish
Two for a kiss
Three for a letter
Four for something better.
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