Do we really eat spiders at night?
That's behind the rumor
Created: 01/28/2022, 14:32
By: Laura Wittstruck
There are house spiders in every apartment, but do they also find their way into the bedroom?
© Imago
Many people are afraid of spiders, which makes the idea of swallowing one while sleeping even worse.
But is that even possible?
Munich – It sounds like a real horror idea, not only for spider haters: According to a persistent rumor, people eat up to eight of the creepy crawlies a year in their sleep.
Is that actually true or is it just an urban legend?
We give the answer.
Spiders eat while they sleep: it's that likely
That spiders go into a sleeping person's mouth is just a myth.
This is due to the nature of the normal house spider: it lives in hidden corners of its web and only leaves it extremely rarely.
Species that hunt prey also avoid encounters with humans and hide in the dark.
In addition, spiders are very sensitive and recognize the fine vibrations that cause breathing and movements during sleep.
They prefer to stay away from these, especially since humans do not correspond to the spider's prey pattern.
Can you accidentally swallow spiders?
Nevertheless, it is theoretically possible for a spider to stray onto humans at night.
Even then, however, it is very unlikely that it will also be swallowed.
As soon as the spider crawls over the face, the body reacts spontaneously and wipes it off again.
In addition, if you don't snore, you usually keep your mouth closed when you sleep.
And even if the crawling animal finds its way into the oral cavity, swallowing it is almost impossible.
The body's natural reflex is to spit out the unfamiliar object.
Anyone who has an aversion to the creepy crawlies can sleep on with peace of mind.
This is probably why the rumor is so persistent, as many people can hardly imagine anything worse.
There are also exciting answers to other everyday questions.
For example, why do we experience déjà vu?
Why are there mirrors in elevators and what can so-called Silicia Gel do?
(lw)