How Many Spiders Do You Swallow in a Lifetime?
WouterIf you have heard the urban legend that you swallow a spider while you sleep, you may be wondering how it works and if it’s actually true. Aside from the fact that it’s impossible, there’s no proof.
The urban legend of the swallowing a spider while you sleep was touted in a 1999 list of trivia facts in the Guardian. It was also mentioned in a PC Professional article written by columnist Lisa Holst. But the rumor is not true.
Although the aforementioned article makes a big deal of the swallowing a spider while you’re asleep, it has no concrete evidence to back up its claim. For one, a person has to have a mouth that’s wide open to actually swallow the aforementioned spider while you’re asleep.
A spider would not have survived 300 million years if it had crawled into the human gullet. Secondly, a person would need to swallow at least eight spiders per year to achieve such a feat.
Lastly, the spider is a rare occurrence. As a result, the odds of a person ever catching one while he or she is sleeping are quite low.
Unless you live in an area that’s overrun with spiders, you won’t be eating spiders while you sleep. And even if you do, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever ingest more than a few in your lifetime.
Considering the many ways spiders can be harmful to your health, you’ll probably be thankful for the fact that you don’t swallow a spider while you sleep.
