Recent research suggests that yawning may serve important physiological or social functions beyond simply showing that we are tired.
1) Theory #1: Yawning wakes up the brain
2) Theory #2: Yawning helps the brain cool down
3) Theory #3: Contagious yawning is linked to empathy skills
4) Other theories about why we yawn
Yawning helps open the Eustachian tubes, which connect the throat to the ear. This action can help relieve the uncomfortable pressure buildup that occurs when the ear doesn't have time to equalize, such as when a plane is landing. That said, since swallowing accomplishes the same purpose, scientists don't believe this is the main reason we yawn.
An older theory postulated that people yawn when they don't get enough oxygen to the brain. The idea was that yawning helped bring fresh oxygen to the brain whenever there was more carbon dioxide than oxygen in the blood. Studies have shown that yawning does not increase when people breathe more carbon dioxide, so scientists have moved away from this theory.
There is no official consensus on how much yawning is too much, although some experts consider yawning more than three times in a 15-minute period abnormal if there is no obvious cause. The average person yawns up to 28 times a day, usually after waking up and before going to bed. Yawning in the absence of tiredness, boredom, contagion, or other typical signs is also considered abnormal and may indicate an underlying disorder.
Excessive yawning may be due to damage to parts of the brain.
involved in yawning. Yawning excessively can be a sign of neurological conditions such as:
1) Attack
2) Parkinson's disease
3) Epilepsy
4) Migraine
5) Multiple sclerosis
6) Brain tumor or swelling
In some cases, yawning can also be caused by certain medications, including antidepressants, opioids, dopaminergic drugs, and benzodiazepines. People with sleep disorders such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are also more likely to experience excessive yawning.
Recent research suggests that yawning may serve important physiological or social functions beyond simply showing that we are tired.
1) Theory #1: Yawning wakes up the brain
2) Theory #2: Yawning helps the brain cool down
3) Theory #3: Contagious yawning is linked to empathy skills
4) Other theories about why we yawn
Yawning helps open the Eustachian tubes, which connect the throat to the ear. This action can help relieve the uncomfortable pressure buildup that occurs when the ear doesn't have time to equalize, such as when a plane is landing. That said, since swallowing accomplishes the same purpose, scientists don't believe this is the main reason we yawn.
An older theory postulated that people yawn when they don't get enough oxygen to the brain. The idea was that yawning helped bring fresh oxygen to the brain whenever there was more carbon dioxide than oxygen in the blood. Studies have shown that yawning does not increase when people breathe more carbon dioxide, so scientists have moved away from this theory.
There is no official consensus on how much yawning is too much, although some experts consider yawning more than three times in a 15-minute period abnormal if there is no obvious cause. The average person yawns up to 28 times a day, usually after waking up and before going to bed. Yawning in the absence of tiredness, boredom, contagion, or other typical signs is also considered abnormal and may indicate an underlying disorder.
Excessive yawning may be due to damage to parts of the brain.
involved in yawning. Yawning excessively can be a sign of neurological conditions such as:
1) Attack
2) Parkinson's disease
3) Epilepsy
4) Migraine
5) Multiple sclerosis
6) Brain tumor or swelling
In some cases, yawning can also be caused by certain medications, including antidepressants, opioids, dopaminergic drugs, and benzodiazepines. People with sleep disorders such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are also more likely to experience excessive yawning.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-faqs/why-do-you-yawn (2023).--