Why Do We Yawn?

What’s the deal with yawning – and why am I suddenly doing it right now?

We all yawn multiple times a day. Yawns appear to be contagious and seem to travel through a room at the speed of light. But why do we yawn? What purpose does yawning serve, if any? While scientists aren’t 100% in agreement why we yawn, they have some intriguing theories.

What exactly is a yawn? In short, it’s an involuntary opening of your mouth while widening your jaw to it’s maximum. As this is happening, you’re taking a deep, deep breath through the nose and mouth, which is followed by slow exhalation. The whole act is associated with comfort as we often stretch our limbs at the same time. And if you’re in a room with others, it’s not unusual for your yawn to trigger other yawns.

Did you know that even babies yawn in the womb? In fact, all vertebrate animals yawn, from fish to birds to donkeys. But yawns are only contagious in humans, chimpanzees and families of wolves and dogs. Although yawning is often associated with boredom (and thought to be disrespectful), scientists now believe yawns serve another purpose.

So what’s the real deal with yawning? Take a look at what these scientists have to say…

We yawn to cool down. Some research suggests yawning is a biological mechanism in humans to keep the brain from overheating. “Brains are like computers,” reports Andrew Gallup, a researcher in the Department of Biology at Binghamton University who led the study. “They operate most efficiently when cool, and physical adaptations have evolved to allow maximum cooling of the brain.”

We yawn because we need a wake-up call. Boredom, hunger, fatigue: these are all states in which we may find our attention drifting and our focus becoming more and more difficult to maintain. A yawn, then, may serve as a signal for our bodies to perk up, a way of making sure we stay alert. When psychologist Ronald Baenninger, a professor emeritus at Temple University, tested this theory in a series of laboratory studies coupled with naturalistic observation, he found that yawning is more frequent when stimulation is lacking. In fact, a yawn is usually followed by increased movement and physiological activity, which suggests that some sort of “waking up” has taken place.

We yawn because… it’s contagious! It’s true! One study found that when shown videos of yawning, around 50 percent of people also began yawning. Even merely thinking – or reading! – about yawning can trigger one. Turns out, it’s not really that strange of a reaction, Robert Provine, a psychology and neuroscience professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, told WebMD. Other very human reactions are equally “contagious”, such as laughing. A number of studies have tied this catching nature of yawns to empathy, says Decker.

We may never fully know why we yawn or why yawning is so contagious. All we know is we’ve been yawning our way through writing this post. And we’re thinking now might be a good time for a nap? You too?

Do you yawn when you see someone yawn? We dare you to watch this video and NOT yawn. Go!

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:

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• Does your bedroom set the mood for a good night’s sleep?