system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why do we not cough in sleep?

Hello! First post here so bear with me.
So, ever since I recovered from covid in May 2021, I've had this long covid wheezing and coughing it's not extreme just a little bit don't worry, anyway I was thinking, I just woke up from a night's sleep and I was coughing last night and now this morning. Why do we not cough in our sleep? Does coughing require consciousness? Or is it something else, maybe it could be related to our breathing patterns? Like when you try taking deep breaths to stop wheezing but cough bad while you exhale? Idk, I don't have anything near a biology background. 
Thank you in advance!
Ps:This may or may not be a stupid question so again, bear with me.
gpt
Since body movement, or rather nerve transmission down the spinal cord, is inhibited during sleep, you can't cough or sneeze. Your body does, however, enter a wakeful state very briefly to cough/sneeze but you won't remember it happening.