Yawning can be a sign of tiredness, boredom, or if you’re anything like me you yawn in the middle of the day for no apparent reason. Why do people yawn? Is yawning contagious?
What does it mean to yawn?
Everyone yawns multiple times in their lifetime, but what is going on inside your body when you yawn? Based off of healthline.com “Yawning is a mostly involuntary process of opening the mouth and breathing in deeply, filling the lungs with air. It’s a very natural response to being tired. In fact, yawning is usually triggered by sleepiness or fatigue.”
What Causes Yawning?
There isn’t just one set reason for why people yawn. There are many instances where yawning can occur (voluntary or not).
One reason why someone might yawn is while on an airplane. The reason why yawning is possible is because of the rapid elevation change. Yawning voluntary or involuntary can help your ears to ‘pop’ and equalize pressure that has been built up in your ears.
Another reason you might yawn is called “social empathy”. Have you ever wondered if yawns are contagious? Well, this might be able to answer your wonder. If you see someone yawning, or if you’re reading about yawning, you will yawn as well. There are still lots of research being done on this reason of yawning, but psychologists have found that if you are empathetic or close in relation to someone, whenever they yawn, you will yawn as well.
We now know that yawning is involved with tiredness and boredom, but yawning can actually help us a bit. Have you ever been in a class or meeting and during the entire meeting, you can’t seem to stop yawning? You’re not tired and you’re participating well, so you’re not bored. Why are you yawning? Yawning is actually a reflex in your brain trying to keep you awake and more alert. “Yawning is associated with some hormones that are released that briefly increase the heart rate and alertness. So actually the reason that one yawns when tired or bored is the body’s attempt to keep you alert and awake — if only for a brief time.” (muschealth.org)
Facts About Yawning
On dreams.co.uk I found 6 facts about yawning, that you may not have known before.
- “We yawn young”. We started yawning when we were just 11 weeks old.
- “A yawn lasts 6 seconds”. An average yawn is about 6 seconds long. This can be different based on the person.
- “Yawning cools the brain”. Our brain can overheat sometimes. When we breath through our nose or yawn, we allow for colder air to cool off our brain.
- “Lower lungs love yawns”. The bottom lobes of our lungs are not needed when we are resting. They are only needed when we exercise and in need of more oxygen. When we are resting, yawning can help keep those bottom lobes healthy.
- “Dogs yawn with you”. Many times when you yawn with your dog next to you, your dog will yawn as well. Even hearing a yawn can make your dog yawn.
- “People yawn with you”. Just as I have mentioned before, yawning is contagious with humans as well. Especially if you have a closer relationship with someone.