Why 74% of Americans check their tissues after blowing

Nearly two-thirds of Americans admit to watching “oddly satisfying” social media videos, spending a grand total of 156 hours consuming that content per year, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 Americans found that those who love oddly satisfying videos (59%) spend almost half an hour per day consuming this content, adding up to just over three hours per week — or 156 hours annually.

Pimple popping videos ranked as the most sought-after content in this genre (33%), followed closely by pressure/power washing (27%) and object crushing (27%).

But the appeal may come down to something deeper than entertainment: Americans want relief.

While they might not be watching online videos of it, over a third (37%) said blowing their nose and seeing what’s in the tissue is “oddly satisfying” — so much so that some respondents have shown their used tissue to others.

Seventy-four percent check their tissues after blowing their nose — and 45% have felt proud of how much mucus came out after blowing their nose.

Over a quarter (27%) have even shown someone else what came out, with men being slightly more likely than women to admit to doing this (32% of men vs. 24% of women).

Commissioned by Naväge (https://navage.com/pages) and conducted by Talker Research, the survey dug further into nasal congestion, seeing how it ranked high among satisfying experiences.

Results revealed that over half of respondents who’ve experienced nasal congestion find the feeling of finally clearing it and breathing out of both nostrils “extremely satisfying” (55%).

“Being able to breathe clearly is something most people don’t think about until they can’t,” said Dr. Howard Levine, Medical Director at Naväge. “Taking a deep breath out of both nostrils after being congested is a feeling of relief that we find a lot of people who experience nasal congestion are eager to find. While it might not inspire social media videos like other ‘oddly satisfying’ things, we’re not surprised to find people highlight the relief in this simple action.”

Nasal congestion was found to be one of life’s top discomforts, with respondents saying they would give up alcohol (25%), video games (20%) and coffee (19%) in exchange for one year of perfect breathing through both nostrils.

They would also rather deal with a hot room (27%) and a snoring partner (14%) than have a stuffy nose.

But since there isn’t a way to magically have a year of perfect breathing, respondents have a variety of relief methods. Natural home remedies were more likely to be tried first — with hot showers (73%) and rest (72%) coming out on top.

Perhaps if that doesn’t work, respondents will also turn to medication (71%), while others will look for more nasal-specific options. Sixty-three percent are likely to use a nasal spray, while 47% said the same for a nasal irrigation device.

Respondents reported that clearing their nasal congestion was more satisfying than scratching a hard-to-reach itch (23%), back rubs (20%) and naps (18%).

“It’s clear we all have our small, relieving guilty pleasures — and for many people, finally clearing their sinuses and breathing freely again ranks high on the list,” said Dr. Levine. “The findings show just how much people value that feeling of relief and even seeing the visible proof. That’s why it’s important to us to help people find quick, effective ways to address nasal congestion and get back to breathing comfortably. When you can breathe clearly, it’s easier to focus on enjoying all of life’s other satisfying moments.”

OTHER THINGS AMERICANS FIND “ODDLY SATISFYING”

• “A good hot bath”
• “Putting paper through the shredder”
• “Biting nails”
• “Cleaning”
• “Digging in nose”
• “Passing gas”
• “Keyboard noises”
• “Mukbangs”
• “Mowing lawns”
• “Organizing”
• “Popping bubble wrap”