Does a Yawn Mean You are Tired?

Experts say you may be surprised to learn yawning is not a sign that we are tired. Moreover we yawn anywhere from five to 20 times a day and a yawn typically lasts around 5 seconds. 

Scientists explain a yawn is probably not a sign we need more oxygen or need to get rid of extra carbon dioxide. In fact they say a “yawn/sleep link may be a form of nonverbal communication.” They add when a family of baboons start yawning, it appears to be a signal it is time to sleep.  

Other theories regarding why we yawn include the idea that it exercises and stretches our lungs and nearby tissues, helping to prevent the tiny airways in the lungs from collapsing. This may be why yawns occur when our breathing is shallow like when we are tired or bored. The newly stretched muscles help us feel more awake and alert as the yawn increases our heart rate. 

Another odd thing about yawning is we can feel a need to do it just by thinking about it, and scientists say it is one of the most contagious, uncontrollable things we do. Just watching a video of people yawning can cause us to yawn. Researchers say it may be a good thing if we yawn when someone else does as a study with Boston University students showed the less empathic a person was the less likely they were to mimic a yawn.  

A study on the yawning habits of 120 people published in 2014 in the journal, Physiology & Behavior, found people yawned less in the winter. Researchers theorized hotter temperatures may cause the brain to get too warm and a yawn brings in fresh air to cool it down. It is important to note yawning excessively as well as other symptoms like brain fog and a hard time sleeping could be a sign of other problems, which should be reported to your doctor.  

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