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Why does looking at a bright light or sunlight sometimes make people sneeze?
Discover ^ | January 2002 | Louis Ptacek

Posted on 01/11/2002 5:46:27 PM PST by Oxylus

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To: monkeyshine
I'm just real glad I don't have this problem from post #13

The post-coital phase of orgasm sometime causes me to sneeze....

41 posted on 01/11/2002 10:00:21 PM PST by d4now
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To: Oxylus
I have this. A doctor deemed me "photophobic" when I was 11 and prescribed photogray glasses. I wore them for about 30 years. I still sneeze when going out in bright sunlight, but living in Oregon minimizes the exposure...
42 posted on 01/11/2002 10:07:35 PM PST by tje
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To: taxman
ping
43 posted on 01/11/2002 10:18:06 PM PST by tgslTakoma
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Comment #44 Removed by Moderator

Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: Texas_Jarhead
Hey what-do-ya-know, I'm a photic sneezer.

Me too. I always wondered about it.

46 posted on 01/11/2002 11:44:45 PM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: mykdsmom
but I wanna know why yawning is catching.

Now, don't anyone flame me for this one. I'm just telling you an idea concerning the "group yawning effect" that I came across a while back.

It runs parallel to the "group gag reflex". You know, when one person gags or vomits, invariably other people (me included) will feel like gagging too. The theory I heard for that was it is a survival mechanism. When we were monkeys or early humans (or whatever- I don't want to get involved in an evolution vs creation debate) presumedly the group would have all been eating the same thing. If it was spoiled or poisonous it would have been imperative for the group to quickly vomit up what they were eating if one member became ill.

Likewise, with the yawning thing. When it got evening and the alpha male or Mongo the chief decided it was time to go "beddy bye" then it was time for all the little monkeys to go beddy bye. This increased their survivability by keeping the noise level and activity to a minimum while nocturnal predators were roaming around. So the yawn is perhaps a signal that we are hardwired to pick up on.

I don't know how much credence I give it and like all these "theories" it can't really be proved anyway so it relegates it to a mere interesting conversation piece. I do know that sometimes in the Army in a large barracks I would be the first one awake. I'd just lay there quietly so as not to disturb my fellow soldiers. But invariably, someone else would soon wake up and then another and another- even if nobody was making any noise and it wasn't time for us to wake up. Pretty soon everybody would be kicking around in their bunks. So maybe we are programmed for these types of group input? Who knows.

47 posted on 01/12/2002 12:07:55 AM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: blam
...the sea horse is the only animal to never have been observed yawning.

Well, I seem to remember seeing a sea horse yawning in the Oral Office when Clinton was in orifice.

48 posted on 01/12/2002 12:38:37 AM PST by Cobra64
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To: Marie Antoinette
Nope, I'm just a snotic sneezer. You know about every 12 time I sneeze...

I'll leave it to your imagination and hope you've had breakfast already.

One who sneezes on exposure to bright light, and breaks wind while he sneezes, is said to have photic-phartic sneeze reflex.

What's with you pinging me to these type of threads? (Same warped sense of humor-Thanks!)

49 posted on 01/12/2002 3:35:36 AM PST by listenhillary
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To: Prodigal Son;mykdsmom
I like it, I like it. Your explanation is probably as good as any proposed by a PhD in anthropology, just think of all the money we've saved.

Now, I've read that yawning is a 'stay awake' mechanism.

50 posted on 01/12/2002 7:36:10 AM PST by blam
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To: Oxylus
Great thread. I have photic sneeze reflex. I often use it when I have the start of a headache and sometimes can prevent it if I sneeze. I stare at a bright light, man-made or natural to sneeze.

More beneficial were the laughs we all got from your post. Thanks! Everyone was terrific. Better than Letterman..how is that for meter!

51 posted on 01/12/2002 11:41:35 AM PST by imintrouble
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To: Oxylus
Count me among the blessed. But don't say anything, I haven't come out to my family yet.

I have a rare variation - if I am with someone else who sneezes first, I seldom have to myself. If I am alone, I sneeze every time.

52 posted on 01/12/2002 12:06:03 PM PST by LearnsFromMistakes
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To: listenhillary
LOL! I just now realized the "type" of thread I'd pinged you to before. Not trying to convey any messages or anything. Heeheehee. But you both have the same origin, so... :-D
53 posted on 01/12/2002 8:06:04 PM PST by Marie Antoinette
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To: blam
Now, I've read that yawning is a 'stay awake' mechanism.

Yep, I've heard that one too. The whole "increasing oxygen to the brain" thing? But it's counterintuitive. Not that pure intuition should be part of the scientific method. Seriously, what do you associate a yawn with- getting more awake or getting more sleepy?

Invariably, if one person in a group yawns, many more people in that group will yawn. As a way of demonstrating just how strong this effect is I would challenge all the posters and lurkers who have read this thread to 'fess up' and say whether they felt like yawning after reading mykdsmom's number 4 post. Yawning is obviously(imho) a sort of signal like the gag reflex. And if it's a signal- what does it or what is it supposed to communicate? Well, I get sleepy when I yawn/see someone yawn (try the experiment of faking a yawn in the middle of the day in a crowd- it's astonishing- why should anyone be sleepy in the middle of the day?). It's also my assertion that the yawn effect works better in a group who's members are very familiar with one another. IE a yawn will have less effect on a crowded subway than within a work group (like an Army platoon). Then again, maybe Army work is just boring ;-)

Where do I sign up for my informal (or is it honorary?) doctorate degree? I think Clinton had to go to Israel for his. Maybe they'll have one within Public Transport distance... Next theme- memes.

54 posted on 01/26/2002 2:35:06 AM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: Prodigal Son
im a photic sneezer too. but why do some people sneeze after they eat?
55 posted on 05/04/2004 11:03:49 PM PDT by cuteblond218
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To: Oxylus
"people with epilepsy frequently have seizures induced by strobe lights"

...Perhaps someone should inform all of the highway departments...you know, so that they understand what they are doing when they put strobe flashers inside Red Traffic Lights.

56 posted on 05/04/2004 11:06:47 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Oxylus
I always sneeze after taking a show and I have never figured out why.
57 posted on 05/04/2004 11:06:48 PM PDT by expatguy (Fallujah Delenda Est!!)
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