Why do We Yawn?

That yawn you’re trying to hide? It’s actually your body’s secret superpower! While the exact reason is not fully understood, some fascinating theories abound.

Cited Studies

1. Brain Cooling Theory
Study: Thermoregulatory theory of yawning: What we know from over 5 years of research Authors: Gallup & Eldakar Journal: Frontiers in Neuroscience DOI
Key Finding: Yawning frequency increases with rising brain temperature; acts as a “radiator” for heat dissipation.

2. Alertness and Arousal
Study: Yawning as a brain cooling mechanism: Nasal breathing and forehead cooling diminish yawning (2014)
Authors: Gallup et al. Journal: Physiology & Behavior DOI
Key Finding: Yawning increases heart rate by 25-30% for ~15 seconds post-yawn.

3. Contagious Yawning and Empathy
Study: Individual variation in contagious yawning susceptibility is highly stable and largely unexplained by empathy or other known factors Authors: Bartholomew and Cirulli
Journal: National Library of Medicine
Key Finding: 40-60% of people yawn contagiously, linked to social bonding (but not strictly empathy).

4. Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Exchange
Study: Yawning: No effect of 3–5% CO2, 100% O2, or exercise (1987)
Authors: Provine et al.
Journal: Behavioral and Neural Biology DOI
Key Finding: While yawning increases O2 intake, it’s not primarily triggered by low O2 (debunking the “oxygen deficit” myth).

5. Eustachian Tube Function
Study: Yawning and its Physiological Significance
Authors: Gupta et al
Journal: International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research
Key Finding: Reviews yawning’s role in pressure regulation (including ear function).

Music
Walk Through the Park
by TrackTribe