What is a characteristic of non-respiratory air movements?

Non-respiratory air movements, which include actions such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, and crying, are often associated with reflexive or voluntary control. When considering these movements, they can occur consciously, as individuals may choose to cough or laugh. This is significant because while some respiratory processes are largely involuntary, non-respiratory movements allow for voluntary response to stimuli — for example, coughs can be initiated deliberately to clear the airway.

The other characteristics do not accurately describe non-respiratory air movements. They do not solely occur during sleep, they can happen during various activities, and many of these movements, while they might become automatic with practice, are fundamentally initiated by conscious thought. Therefore, the ability of a person to actively control certain non-respiratory air movements highlights their voluntary characteristic.