You Could Easily Have Achoo Syndrome and Not Even Know It

Oh, the excitement of a beautiful, sunny day. Even if it's a chilly winter day or after a few days of rain in the spring or summer, that bright orange ball is always welcome.

The sun is a natural mood stimulator because it releases the happy, feel-good hormonal chemical serotonin. Even when we're feeling fine, stepping outside into the sunlight lifts our moods even more.

Then there's the vitamin D your body soaks up from the sun.

However, according to the Interesting Facts website, the sun causes Achoo syndrome in one of every four people. That's short for autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outbursts.

Talk about a mouthful. Plus, Achoo is more fun to say and literally makes perfect sense, too.

Achoo syndrome is also lovingly called "sun sneezing" or sometimes the semi-technical nickname "photic sneeze reflex."

You have it if you sneeze each time you look at the sun.

It's not just about the sun, either. According to Interesting Facts, those inflicted by this annoying syndrome may sneeze when they come into contact with a sudden influx of light, such as moving somewhere very dark to very bright, or simply looking into very bright lights, such as the flash of a camera.

There's no cure or treatment for Achoo syndrome. It is what it is.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the best bet is to wear sunglasses or a hat. Like so many things, the cause is most likely genetics. It's a 50/50 chance of getting it if it runs in your family tree.

According to Interesting Facts, another theory involves a nervous system misfire.

There's a nerve that connects the eyes and nose with the brain. When you see a bright light, your eyes contract, stimulating that nerve, and boom, you accidentally sneeze.