Why Do We Yawn?

One of the natural actions of the human body is yawning. We see kids yawn when they are sleepy. We also find tired adults yawning after a long day of hard work. It often intrigues our minds. Why do we yawn? What is the scientific reason behind yawning? Let us find out.

What is Yawning?

Yawning is an uncontrollable action performed by the human body. It is a process where one opens his mouth and inhales a lot of air at a stretch and then exhales quickly. Like humans, many animals yawn. The exact reason behind yawning has not been defined or found. There are theories that might explain the reason behind yawning.

Yawning is Natural

Theories behind Yawning

Yawning, as mentioned earlier, is an action performed by a human automatically. There are a few popular theories behind yawning but no data-backed scientific reason to point out. The popular theories are listed below:

• Tiredness

Tiredness is what makes us yawn. When the day is too tiring and you have done a lot of work, you yawn. Tiredness can be physical and mental. When a human uses its brain, it heats up like any other machine. Researchers suggest that yawning helps us to bring down the temperature of a tired human brain and indicates one has to rest.

• Boredom

It has also been found that people who are bored yawn the most. It also has happened to you, hasn't it? When you are somewhere you don’t want to be or are bored and have nothing interesting to do, you will start yawning a lot.

When your brain has nothing to do, the temperature of this organ automatically drops. It causes a reverse action of yawning reflecting boredom. It is also a sign that your brain is slowing down and going to a resting phase.

• Contagion

Have you ever seen someone yawning? If you follow, you will find yourself triggered to yawn. Why are yawns contagious? There is no scientific explanation behind the contagious properties of yawning. If we see someone yawning, it is automatically triggered sometimes even if our brains are not that tired.

• Waking up

People yawn when they wake up. It is a process of stretching the muscles and activating them after waking up. Yawning also helps to send blood to the brain and face to increase alertness.

Yawning After Waking Up

What is Excessive Yawning?

It seldom occurs that a person yawns continuously. Yawning in a personal and professional gathering is considered disrespectful. It shows how much a person is bored being there. This is why people often try to stop excessive yawning by following these proven methods.

• Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises will help your brain to get more oxygen and will also reduce its temperature. It helps to stop yawning.

• Move and Break the Monotony

If you are feeling monotonous and tired, break the routine. Go for a walk and seek small refreshments outside. Changing the environment for a few minutes can help a lot.

• Cooling Down

If you find a cooler space to sit and rest, it will help you stop yawning. Your brain needs rest and will feel better in a relatively colder place.

Tips for Parents

Explains to the kids why do I keep yawning and the popular theories. Make them understand the concepts with pictures. Explain why our brains need rest and why we yawn simultaneously.