Do Spiders Really Crawl in Your Mouth When You’re Sleeping?
WouterA myth abounds about spiders crawling into your mouth while you sleep. Some say it’s a clever trick of nature, and others say it’s a real thing.
The first thing to know is that a spider doesn’t really want to be in your mouth. They prefer to spend their time tending to their webs or hunting bugs. If you’re worried about spiders in your bed, try changing your sheets regularly, and calling a professional pest control company.
The next thing to know is that most people don’t swallow when they sleep. That’s not to say that they won’t swallow. But it’s unlikely. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that only 25% of the average mouth open during REM sleep was actually wide enough for a spider to crawl in.
There are other factors to consider. In addition to the usual suspects, spiders are spooked by snoring humans. When you snore, you produce a vibration that spiders use to warn each other that you are in trouble. They also like to stay away from warm, moist, dark caves.
A spider may drop into your mouth because of breathing. It would require good aim. They would also have to swoosh down from the ceiling on a silk thread. It’s a pretty silly feat, but they have to do it to survive.
The only other reason they would be able to do this is if you had a super-wide mouth. But the odds are that you’re asleep so you’re not able to do it.
