Does the sneeze have a gender? When it comes to physical reactions, it’s true that we all have in mind a father, a cousin or a colleague known for having a heartfelt, unrestrained reaction to every sneeze. On the women’s side, on the other hand, the image and sound are often less pronounced. But is this difference linked to anatomical particularities?
A really more powerful male sneeze?
Before separating thunderous “atchoums” from more discreet sneezes, one clarification is necessary: no scientific study seems to have directly compared the sound volume of male and female sneezes. It is therefore impossible to say that a man systematically sneezes louder than a woman.
“We must be wary of impressions: the sound of a sneeze does not depend solely on the force with which the air is expelled”recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
However, some scientific data allows us to better understand what happens when we sneeze. A study published in 2021 notably measured the speed of air flow during a sneeze, around 15.9 meters per second on average. The researchers observed relatively small differences between the sexes, although the values were slightly higher for men.
In other words, men could indeed produce a slightly more powerful sneeze, but the physiological difference is not enough to explain the real concert of sound that we sometimes witness.
Generally larger airways in men
To understand this potential difference, we have to look at the anatomy. The central airways – including the nose, throat and larynx – are larger on average in men.
However, these structures participate directly in the production and resonance of sound.
“The male anatomy can provide a slightly larger resonance chamber. With comparable expulsion power, this can therefore modify the noise produced by sneezing,” explains the doctor.
Men may also have a higher maximum expiratory pressure, linked in particular to average differences in morphology and respiratory musculature. Again, this could contribute to a more forceful expulsion of air.
But be careful not to turn a statistical trend into an absolute rule. A woman can have a much louder sneeze than a man.
“Individual differences are probably much larger than the average gender difference.”emphasizes Dr. Kierzek.
What if noise was mainly a question of education?
Because there is another element, much less biological: the way we learned to sneeze.
Some people open their mouths wide and let it all out in a spectacular “SATCHOM!” Others, on the contrary, try to contain the noise, especially when they are in restaurants, at work or on transport.
British research has suggested that men are more likely to let their sneeze express itself fully, while women are more likely to try to make it discreet.
And this behavior can start very early: depending on social norms and education, some people learn to “hold it” when they sneeze, while others never really tried to alleviate the phenomenon.
“Behavior and social conventions probably play a huge role in how we feel”confirms Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
Are more women holding back their sneezes?
This difference in behavior could even explain a large part of the cliché.
More than a third of women surveyed in a study say they have already held their sneeze out of politeness or embarrassment. Conversely, men are more likely to report being “explosive sneezers,” who prefer to let the reflex happen without trying to control it.
Result: in the same room, two people can have exactly the same physiological reflex… but produce radically different sounds.
“There is a difference between the real power of a sneeze and the way we let it express itself,” summarizes the doctor.
So, do men really sneeze harder?
This is plausible, but impossible to say categorically. Men, on average, have certain anatomical characteristics that may promote slightly more powerful air expulsion and greater sound resonance. Some airflow measurements also point in this direction.
But our perception of the phenomenon is probably amplified by behavior. If a man lets his sneeze burst out without trying to suppress it while a woman holds it back or muffles it, the difference in sound will obviously be dramatic.
The famous “male sneeze” could therefore be a mixture of small physiological differences and large behavioral differences.
Above all, do not try to block it at all costs
And if there’s one thing it’s best not to be a hero about, it’s this. When a sneeze is uncontrollable, it is better to accompany it by adopting good hygiene reflexes – by sneezing into your elbow or into a tissue – rather than trying to block it completely.
“Suddenly holding back a sneeze by blocking your nose and closing your mouth is not a good idea: the pressure must be able to escape”, recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
So, gentlemen, there’s no need to feel guilty about a thunderous “ATCHUM”… and ladies, there’s no need to feel obliged to stifle it either. Sneezing is above all a defense reflex for the body, not a contest for discretion.