We’ve all had that friend who would look up at the sun and immediately sneeze.
It used to be an old running joke.
Often, people may not connect sneezing with looking at the sun.
Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish from seasonal allergies.
A sneeze is triggered by a cranial nerve known as the trigeminal nerve (viaScientific American).
Once triggered by an irritant, a sneeze is produced.
The reason why some sneeze at the sun is purely physical.
In addition, it’s not usually one sneeze but a cascade of back-to-back sneezes.
The number can range from 2-40 sneezes at a time.
Though there isn’t one defined cause of why some people have it, there are theories.
Some researchers think having a deviated septum plays a role (viaPubMed).
The fortunate news is that this strange phenomenon in and of itself is not at all harmful.
However, what happens as a result of the sneeze can be dangerous in certain situations (viaBBC).
It can also be troublesome for those that play sports.
That being said, there are some preventative measures you could take.
You’ll also want to create a barrier between your eyes and the sun.
A large sunhat can work, but wearing dark sunglasses every time you go out is your best bet.
