Why do
we yawn?
It’s
Thursday. I just had lunch. I am tired and… I can't stop yawning!!
Despite my
tiredness, my brain doesn't stop and I wonder … Why do we yawn?
Interestingly, yawning is a multifactorial reflex that involves the
brainstem, respiratory system and autonomic nervous system. Indeed, there
is no single cause, but several mechanisms work together.
Let’s see more about yawning!
π’ Reset button: from low alertness to high alertness
* You yawn when:
- You’re tired
- You’re bored
- You’re just waking up
- You need to stay alert
* Yawning triggers:
- A surge of oxygen intake
- Increased heart rate
- Activation of the sympathetic
nervous system
π§ Cool down the brain
* When you yawn, you take in
a deep, rapid breath of cool air.
* This increases blood flow to
the skull.
* The stretching of jaw muscles
increases vascular circulation and moves warm blood out.
* Cooler blood then reaches the brain
→ brain temperature drops slightly.
π A cooler brain works more efficiently,
especially when transitioning between states (sleepiness ↔ alertness).
π₯± Yawning is highly contagious!
Are you the kind of person that yawns where someone does it?
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