Does your heart stop beating when you sneeze?

Blood Vessels Read more from
Chapter Cardiovascular System

The heart does not stop beating 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.”

