Do Spiders Go in Your Mouth at Night?
WouterIt’s not surprising that you’ve heard this urban myth at some point in your life. Some people say they’ve seen spiders crawling on their face while they were sleeping. Others claim they’ve swallowed a spider.
Despite what it might sound like, the fact is that a spider does not go in your mouth at night. There are many reasons for this. The most common is that most of us don’t sleep with our mouths open. In addition, we tend to swallow less during deep or rapid eye movement sleep.
If a spider was to crawl into your mouth, there are a few factors that might make it fall out. First, the spider would need to line up perfectly with your mouth. Another is the way it breathes. This might mean it would end up in your esophagus instead of your mouth.
Besides, the spider is likely not a suicidal creature. Even if it were, it’s not a good idea to eat an insect. While it may be a tiny bit of protein for your body, it’s not what you need.
Putting the spider in your mouth is probably the most cliche of all alleged horrors, but it’s still possible. Spiders have a well-tuned olfactory system. They’re also sensitive to air currents and vibrations. These are some of the ways they detect the presence of prey.
Having said that, there is no hard evidence that spiders actually do go in your mouth at night. It’s not exactly impossible, but it’s a very rare occurrence.
