The common practice of saying "Bless you" after someone sneezes is not because the heart stops for a millisecond; that's a myth. The real reason is rooted in historical beliefs. This custom is thought to have originated during the time of the bubonic plague in Rome. Coughing and sneezing were symptoms of the plague, and it's believed that Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) recommended saying “God bless you” following a sneeze as a prayer to protect the individual from what was often a fatal illness.
It's amazing how you can learn something new every single day. I always thought it was because our heart stopped for a sec. It's pretty cool to find out the real stories behind these little things we do without even thinking. Makes you wonder what else we do every day that has a crazy history behind it.
Bo Dalton