Swallowing spiders while you’re asleep? Let’s think about this logically. Ever try to eat laying down? Consciously eating something while lying prostrate is tough enough. I can’t imagine unconsciously gulping down a spider. I have to believe that I’d choke.
Snopes debunked this myth by tracing its origins: http://www.snopes.com/science/stats/spiders.htm
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board, Ataraxia, glad to have you with us.
When you comment on a Staff Report, it’s helpful to other readers if you provide a link. Keeps everyone on the same page, saves search time, etc. In this case, Does the average person consume four spiders per year in his sleep?
I note that Doug’s answer is from Sept 2000, while the snopes article is from April 2001. Also, note that snopes basically says this is silly, while Doug offers reasons that it’s silly, plus the extremely rare situation where microscopic-sized spiders might be swallowed – ones that you wouldn’t feel, even if you swallowed while awake.
Well, mites are a distant ralative of spiders, and you have zillions of them in & on your bed & skin, and it isn’t unlikely you occasionally swallow a few.