Have you ever wondered why you yawn or what causes you to yawn? There are a couple of theories that try to explain why someone yawns although the truth is that experts still are not exactly sure why we yawn. Although we do know that it’s an involuntary act because Research shows that even 11-week-old fetuses yawn and not only humans but also animals yawn (cats, dogs..etc).
What is Yawning?
It’s an involuntary act that causes us to open our mouths wide, our jaw drop and then we inhale. As you inhale the air fills your lungs, your abdominal muscles flex and finally your diaphragm pushes down. Then the air inflates your lungs and some of the air is carried back out through a yawn.
Two Theories:
- The Boredom Theory – a person will yawn due to low energy, drowsiness or boredom
- The Physiological Theory – a person will yawn to pull in more oxygen or eliminate a build-up of carbon dioxide
Here’s some Intriguing Facts about Yawning highlighted in HowStuffWorks.com: What Makes Us Yawn:
- Average yawn lasts about six seconds.
- Your heart rate can rise as much as 30 % while you are yawning.
- 55 % of people will yawn within five minutes of seeing someone else yawn.
- Blind people yawn more after hearing an audio tape of people yawning.
- Reading about yawning will make you yawn.
- Olympic athletes often yawn before competition.
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I actually yawned a few times while reading this. (Not because it is boring) It is pretty amazing that not only seeing or hearing a yawn will make you do it, but also just thinking about a yawn. Great Post and love the picture of the puppy too.