When someone sneezes, the common reaction is "Bless You." Even if you aren't religious, it has become common courtesy to say this to someone who has just sneezed.

The alternative is to say "gesundheit," but it doesn't really have the best ring to it. So "Bless You" is the way to go.

But what does it really mean? Why do we say this?

There is really no concrete explanation as to where "Bless You" came from, but there are definitely a few theories circling that make a lot of sense.

One theory comes from a long while back, when people believed that when you sneezed, your soul was at risk of leaving your body. Saying "bless you" offered some protection to this potential exorcism of sorts.

Another theory is based a lot more in religion. Before people really understood what caused sneezes, it was believed that it was the devil trying to overtake someone's body and soul. People started saying "bless you" to ward off the evil spirits who were trying to enter your being.

The last most common theory is that when you sneeze, your heart stops and you actually die for a couple seconds. By saying "bless you," you're blessing the body of someone who has briefly died.

In the end, everyone has their own reason for saying "Bless You" after you sneeze. It's basically become as common as "please and thank you."

Do you have your own theory as to why we say this?