Yawning is an unconscious breathing act of taking a deep, long breath and quickly exhaling. The mouth is open, and the yawning process itself is accompanied by a characteristic sound. At first glance, yawning seems natural process for the body, but in some cases, excessive yawning can become a symptom of the disease. There are several hypotheses that answer the question of why people yawn often. Doctors are studying why this process is necessary for the body, but they have not come to final conclusions.

Why do people yawn?

Let's look at the most common hypotheses that explain why people yawn often and how it affects general state body.

• Yawning helps the body when there is a lack of oxygen in the brain tissues. When you take a deeper breath, more oxygen enters your bloodstream than during normal breathing. Saturation of the body with oxygen leads to accelerated blood flow and metabolism, which makes a person feel better and the whole body becomes toned. Therefore in different situations When the oxygen balance is disturbed, a person yawns and becomes more alert. For example, yawning after sleep or long monotonous work.

• Yawning to cool the brain. Scientists were able to prove this effect by conducting an experiment in which two groups of people watched videos of actors yawning. Participants who had a cold compress on their forehead yawned less compared to people with or without a warm compress.

Benefits of Yawning

• Help for blocked ears. Why do you often yawn when the plane changes altitude? Yawning helps relieve congestion in the ears, which occurs due to a sharp difference in pressure.
• Warm up for muscles . When yawning, a person usually involuntarily stretches and stretches his stiff body. Thus, yawning prepares a person for active action. Thus, students yawn while preparing to take an exam, and artists yawn before a performance. This also explains why people yawn when they are bored or want to sleep - yawning helps to cheer up and work stiff muscles.

• Protection nervous system. During a serious conversation or an exciting situation, a person may ask himself: “Why do I yawn often?” This reaction will be a kind of sedative for the body, which will help cope with stress.
• Relaxing effect . If you are a person, then yawning will help the body relax and prepare for sleep.

Yawning as a sign of illness

Frequent and prolonged yawning is a symptom of an unhealthy state of the body. This may be one of the signs of sleep problems, high blood pressure, depression or severe anxiety. Therefore, in cases where yawning constantly overcomes a person, it is better to consult a doctor to check your blood pressure, the condition of your blood vessels and heart. And first you need to try to be less nervous, get better sleep and replenish the supply of vitamins and minerals in the body.

The mirror property of yawning

Yawning is a phenomenon that can be “infected.” Why do you often yawn when you see people with open mouth in life or on TV? In the cortex of our brain there are which are the cause of the stickiness of yawning. All a person needs to do is read about yawning or think about it, and then he immediately begins to yawn. But not all people are susceptible to this “disease”. Children with autism can calmly watch a provoking video without yawning. And children under five years old are not capable of mirror yawning, since they do not yet know how to empathize with other people's emotions.

The frequent yawning of the owners is transmitted to the dogs, and they also completely copy physiological state owner, becoming relaxed and sleepy, like a yawning person. Dogs also see the difference: if the owner simply opens his mouth wide, the dog will not imitate his behavior, but will definitely copy the yawn.

Yawning as a manifestation of emotional intimacy

Frequent yawning occurs among relatives and close friends of the yawner. And distant acquaintances and strangers almost never show mirror signs. Proximity is the only factor that scientists have been able to identify, because both gender and nationality do not affect a person’s need to yawn in response.

Yawning as a way of communication

Scientists believe that even during the evolution of primates, yawning began to be used as an imitative action. The reasons were very different. So, at the sight of danger, one of the group members yawned, and his state was transmitted to everyone else and put them on alert. And in order to convey a signal to people that it was time to go to bed, the leader yawned, and the tribe supported him with an appropriate reaction.

Ways to combat yawning

The periodic occurrence of yawning is natural for the body, but if a person constantly asks the question “Why do I yawn often?”, then this may mean that some kind of malfunction has occurred in the body. Simple recommendations will help you overcome yawning:

1. Healthy sleep . It is necessary to determine how much time a person will need to sleep for the body to recover. Also, if you feel very tired during the day, you can take a short 20-minute rest. This will help the body relax, but will not allow you to switch to full sleep.
2. Smooth posture . A bent back can cause frequent yawning. The reasons for this effect are that the hunched state does not allow the diaphragm to work fully and causes its involuntary contractions. While straight posture will reduce the desire to yawn.
3. Fresh air and sports. A person becomes saturated with oxygen during physical exercise, and this allows him to remain alert throughout the day. More the best option will spend more time outside, taking walks or doing light exercise in the fresh air.
4. Nutrition . Nutritious food will help put the body in order and get rid of frequent yawning without a reason. You should try to take vitamins, eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet and drink more fluids.

Popular questions about yawning:

• while yawning? Yawning, a person closes his eyes, causing the lacrimal sac to be compressed and the vessels in the lacrimal canals to contract. Because of this, tears pour out because they do not have time to get into the nasopharynx.
• Why do small children yawn? Children yawn when they want to sleep; this process calms them down. If your baby yawns too often, it is possible that he does not have enough oxygen, and then you should take him for more walks in the fresh air.

• Why do people yawn often in church? This normal phenomenon explained by human physiology. The service takes place in the morning, when the human body has not yet woken up, and with the help of yawning it is enriched with oxygen, helping to cheer up. Also, the room is usually stuffy and the lights are dim, causing blood flow to slow down and a lack of oxygen to appear.
• Why do people often yawn while talking? This does not mean at all that the person is bored or indifferent to the topic of discussion, but on the contrary - yawning overcame the interlocutor due to the active functioning of the brain. He listened to the story so carefully and thoughtfully that his oxygen metabolism was disrupted, so his body replenished its strength with the help of a yawn.

The simple process of yawning carries with it important functions for the proper functioning of the entire body. It is worth paying attention if yawning has become unusually frequent and prolonged, and help the body recover.

The process of yawning plays important role In human life. We “yawn out of boredom”, we can “miss” the bus, we call “yawners” kids who love to look around and not at their feet. What actually is yawning and is it in any way connected with the processes that are the subject of numerous memes about yawning?

What is yawning?

Yawning in medical and anatomical reference books is explained as a reflex, that is, involuntary, breathing act. Simply put, when yawning, a person takes a long, deep breath, receiving a huge portion of oxygen at a time. When inhaling, the mouth, pharynx, and glottis open wide. The exhalation is relatively short and quick. Often, when exhaling, a person makes a short vocal sound.

Yawning is not only born person– even the fetus in the womb yawns. Many vertebrates also yawn, and some of them yawn when they see a prey or rival - the wide opening of the mouth allows you to show your teeth.

Why and why do people yawn?

Unfortunately, the reasons that provoke yawning have not yet been fully studied and have not been clearly established. Of course, scientists know a lot about yawning, but many of them have their own theories about why people yawn. Perhaps only some of these versions are true, or perhaps all of them at once.

So, why does a person yawn and why does he need it:

1. Balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Too much carbon dioxide accumulates in the human blood. The body reacts to this by causing yawning. When a person yawns, he immediately receives a large portion of oxygen, and the balance is maintained.
2. Yawning is like an energy drink. Yawning in the morning is necessary for the body to become more active. For the same reason, a person yawns when he feels signs of fatigue. By the way, there is a connection between two reflexes: yawning and stretching. These two processes, done simultaneously, not only saturate the blood with oxygen, but also improve blood circulation. Vigor appears, attention increases.
3. Yawning is a sedative. People yawn before an exciting event because yawning is energizing and invigorating. It has been noted that yawning affects athletes before competitions, students before exams, patients before entering a doctor's office, circus performers before complex stunts, artists before performances, etc. By yawning, people cheer themselves up, tone their body, which helps them cope with anxiety.
4. Yawning is good for the ears and nose. Yawning opens and straightens the channels leading to maxillary sinuses And eustachian tubes(those pipes that go from the ear to the throat), which allows you to get rid of the so-called “congestion” in the ears. Yawning regulates air pressure in the middle ear.
5. Yawning for relaxation and relaxation. Paradoxically, yawning can not only invigorate, but also relax. Voluntary yawning is used as a technique in some relaxation techniques. Try to lie down, relax and open your mouth wide - sooner or later the process of yawning will occur. At this moment the body will relax. Yawning prepares the body for sleep, creating a feeling of calm. This is why people yawn before going to bed.
6. Why do people yawn when they are bored? With prolonged muscle passivity, blood stagnation occurs. Yawning and stretching at the same time helps you stay active. For this reason, people yawn when they sit, for example, at a boring lecture: you can’t move, it’s uninteresting to listen, the person begins to feel sleepy. And then the process of yawning involuntarily occurs, allowing you to sit until the end of the lecture and, most importantly, listen to it. Some scientists have found through research that yawning itself can relieve mental stress. This is probably also why we yawn when we are forced to listen or watch something that is not at all interesting to us.
7. Yawning to nourish the brain. Some scientists claim that during the period of passivity, when we do not move and are bored, performance decreases nerve cells and breathing slows down. When yawning, firstly, the lack of oxygen is replenished (we breathe more slowly during a period of passivity, so the body begins to lack oxygen), and secondly, blood flow in the vessels of the brain improves. The brain receives the necessary nutrition, and we perk up a little - both physically and mentally. The blood supply to brain cells improves because at the moment of yawning a person strongly tenses his muscles oral cavity, face, neck. A sort of mini-gymnastics occurs, as a result of which brain activity is activated.
8. Yawning as a regulator of brain temperature. According to some scientists, yawning regulates brain temperature, which is why we yawn more often when we're hot. Having received a large portion of cool air, the body “cools the brain”, and it begins to work normally again.

So, let’s summarize the questions “Why do people yawn and why do they need it?” When a person is tired, cold or, conversely, overheated, he needs to cheer up. The body itself regulates this process, causing yawning.

At the same time, the body receives a portion of cool air, which regulates the temperature of the brain. The blood is instantly saturated with oxygen, and the blood flow to the brain vessels improves. Yawning is often accompanied by stretching - these two processes, carried out simultaneously, double the effect of yawning.

In a word, yawning is a reflex that a person needs to be in good shape. However, if the body is preparing for sleep, yawning, on the contrary, helps to relax - this function of yawning was inherited to us, apparently, from distant ancestors.

And finally, a few interesting facts about yawning:

• A yawn lasts on average 6 seconds.
• After a yawn, a person usually yawns for the second time no earlier than one to one and a half minutes later.
• Women and men yawn with equal frequency.
• Men are less likely to cover their mouths when yawning.
• People who yawn too often or, conversely, too rarely, are advised to consult a doctor - healthy man yawns constantly, but not too often.
• As you know, yawning is contagious. Autistic children usually do not yawn in response.
• According to the results of scientific research, those people who yawn in response to another person’s yawn are those who have a well-developed and especially active area of ​​the brain that is responsible for the need for empathy.
• While reading this article “Why do people yawn?”, you probably yawned at least 2-3 times, or even much more.

Why is yawning contagious? Have you noticed this? After all, as soon as someone yawns, everyone around them begins to do the same. Even if there is absolutely no reason for this. So why is yawning contagious? Scientists have tried to figure it out...

Why is yawning contagious? Observations

What do doctors say? Their very first belief in the question of why yawning is contagious is the following thought: people who do not know how to empathize are prone to it, that is, rigid individuals who are unable to imagine themselves in the place of someone else.

“Why is yawning contagious?” - many people ask. Yes, it is, of course, closely related to the “foreplay of sleep.” But, still, why do people who, it would seem, don’t even want to sleep, yawn?

One of the theories is quite unusual. Once upon a time, people lived in whole packs, like chimpanzees. And they were only supposed to go to bed at the same time. Yawning served as a signal to them that it was time to sleep. The yawn of each neighbor was a signal for the person to yawn himself. After which - go to sleep. By the way, herd animals have also done this for a long time.

Observed infectious yawn, by the way, and between animals and people. As soon as the owner yawns, the dog repeats it. The fact is that dogs tend to empathize with their human owner. They understand all his gestures and views.

Domino effect

Why do people yawn and why is yawning contagious? It would seem that you do not feel very tired. However, as soon as someone yawns, you also open your mouth in a long yawn. This phenomenon is called “contagious yawn.” Its origin, in principle, has not yet been clarified by scientists. However, several hypotheses still exist.

One of them claims that a contagious yawn is provoked by certain stimuli. This is called an established pattern of action. The sample works simultaneously as a reflex and a domino effect. That is, a yawn from an outsider literally forces another person who happens to witness this event to do the same. Most importantly, this reflex cannot be resisted. The same as the beginning of a yawn. In a word, the situation is very interesting.

Chameleon effect

Let's consider the second physiological reason why yawning is so contagious. It is known as the chameleon effect, or unconscious mimicry. Someone else's behavior serves as the basis for its unintentional imitation. People tend to borrow poses and gestures from each other. For example, your interlocutor crosses his legs on the contrary. And you will do the same without even noticing it.

This happens, apparently, due to a special set of mirror neurons, sharpened to copy other people’s actions, which are extremely important for self-awareness and learning. A person can learn certain physical practices (knitting, applying lipstick, etc.) by watching someone else do it. It has been proven that when we hear or contemplate someone else's yawn, we activate our mirror neurons.

The psychological reason is also based on the action of mirror neurons. It's called the "empathy yawn." That is, this is the ability to share and understand other people’s emotions, which is extremely important for people.

Not long ago, neuroscientists found that mirror neurons give a person the opportunity to experience empathy at the deepest level. The study examined whether dogs could respond to the sounds of human yawns. As it turned out, animals often pay attention to the familiar yawning of their owners.

Results

And finally. Yawning is contagious and very beneficial. This phenomenon is quite mysterious. Why is it needed at all? Some believe that this is great way to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. Accordingly, for cheerfulness. Others claim that yawning lowers the temperature of the brain, cooling it. But it’s still difficult to say why it’s contagious.

By the way, this applies not only to yawning. Contagious phenomena are also panic, inspiration, laughter and many of our other states. Remember that man is a “herd animal.” That is why his “herd instincts” are very well developed.

Thus, certain conclusions can be drawn. Yawning is truly contagious, and it is almost impossible to resist the urge to yawn in the presence of a sleepy person. All the reasons are in our psychology, in the characteristics of our brain and thinking. All in all, human body, as usual, never ceases to amaze us!

» What does yawning mean?

Why does a person yawn and what does it mean when you yawn?

According to Dutch psychologist Walter Seuntjens, who spent eighteen years studying data from a variety of sciences, yawning has a mainly erotic meaning. Consciously or not, it represents an invitation to sex. The sensations that accompany yawning are often even described as a “mini-orgasm.”

To support his thesis, the scientist mentions that yawning in macaques is a sign of sexual alpha dominance, and therefore superiority (which, it turns out, is the reason your bosses are annoyed when you yawn in meetings). So don't yawn in the office. Your colleagues will have every reason to view you with suspicion.

Countgents believes that there is still no satisfactory explanation for yawning. He says the traditional explanation for hypoxia - that yawning is the body's way to get more oxygen - has yet to be proven. In fact, the phenomenon of yawning is still a mystery. “In fact, we really have no idea what causes yawning and what purposes yawning serves, what mechanisms are responsible for it, or even what basic anatomical components are involved. In an era when the human genome has already been deciphered and space travel is becoming commonplace, this verdict may sound like an insult,” he writes.

The psychologist also claims that when taking certain antidepressants, yawning can cause spontaneous orgasms. He adds: "When discussing pathology, I found that yawning and spontaneous ejaculation were mentioned together." He presented the results of his research in the work On Yawning or the Hidden sexuality of the Human Yawn, published by the University of Amsterdam in 2004.

Why do you want to yawn?

We yawn when we are tired or when our hungry stomach screams. However, there are also yawns that express aggression or boredom.

If you exclude savory yawning, when your eyes simply get stuck together, then the repeated yawning of your interlocutor does not necessarily indicate that he needs rest.

Inappropriate yawning may be a subconscious reaction to suppressed aggression. He yawns not because he is bored, but because his counterpart (i.e. you) is boring or annoying him. Therefore, if your interlocutor yawns continuously, try to end the conversation as quickly as possible. He should apologize for not getting enough sleep if your conversation puts him to sleep or if your arguments get on his nerves.

Why do you often yawn while covering your mouth with your hand?

Is it really just a matter of politeness, elegance, or hygiene that makes people cover their mouths when they yawn? The real reason is different: there was a time when they believed that the soul could slip out along with the exhalation if the mouth opened too wide. Therefore, it was necessary to cover the mouth, which was opening from fatigue, with one’s hand - in order to prevent the premature departure of the soul. The same hand simultaneously served as an obstacle that prevented evil spirits take the opportunity and penetrate the body.

What does yawning mean?

Your counterpart yawns with his mouth closed.

Such yawning is most often a reflex. Quite often it betrays the active skepticism of the yawner. Your interlocutor doubts your integrity in general and yours in particular.

Your interlocutor yawns, mouth wide open.

Yawning without covering your mouth is a sign of contempt or bad upbringing. It’s better to know in advance how to approach this, especially when it comes to work. "It's simple brilliant idea" says someone, stifling a yawn. Even a compliment is unable to hide the disdain evident in the gesture; Absolutely nothing changes if the conversation takes place over the phone.

Why does a person yawn often?

Frequent yawning is a sign of boredom combined with active aversion.

If your interlocutor yawns several times while covering his mouth back side palms, it means that your counterpart is completely uninterested in everything you say. Lower the curtain! This is a signal of rejection.

Your interlocutor yawns continuously, covering his mouth with his fingertips and tapping his lips with them.

It was very likely that the fingers called the mouth to order, inviting it to remain silent instead of entering into unnecessary debate.

Your interlocutor yawns, covering his mouth with a half-closed fist.

The gesture being performed is a symbol of obvious rejection! A closed hand is always a sign of aggression.

Prepared from: Messinger J. C. Ces gestes qui vous trahissent - Paris: France, 2013

All mammals yawn out of empathy, thereby reproducing social behavior in each species group. However, in some individuals this is not observed, which indicates the presence of an empathic disorder. According to a study by Baylor University (Texas), this may even indicate that the person is a psychopath.

Atlantico: Employees at Baylor University came to one surprising conclusion: if a person does not yawn in response to another yawn, this indicates a violation in empathy and possibly that he is a psychopath. What other signs indicate such a disorder?

Philippe Vernier: Scientists have shown that in a “normal” population, some people may have character traits that are often associated with social pathologies: we are talking, for example, about selfishness, manipulative and impulsive behavior, the desire for dominance, lack of empathy. A study of 135 students showed that people with low empathy are less susceptible to the yawning virus.

The communicative nature of yawning is directly related to our ability to interpret other people's sensations based on external signs. Empathy is our ability to feel what we feel this moment other people. Usually these are emotions: joy, fear, pain, etc.

— The study notes that if a person does not yawn in response, he may very well be a psychopath. What are such disorders associated with? Is it genetics or some form of adaptation to blame?

— As always in this kind of research, the results seem reliable, at least when the work is done correctly. Be that as it may, it is still worth emphasizing the relative nature of the results and the fact that the lack of reaction to another's yawn does not necessarily make a person a psychopath. In most cases, even a person with potentially pathological qualities (aggressiveness, selfishness, etc.) is not a psychopath, that is, a person dangerous to society. Empathy, like every aspect of our behavior, depends largely on how our genes shape our brains and make them work. However significant role upbringing, education and experience play a role in the ability to empathize. Some people have a greater tendency to empathize than others, but this is due to their genetic heritage and their experiences in the social environment.

— More specifically, how does empathy manifest itself from a neurological point of view? What brain mechanisms begin to work when a person feels empathy for another?

— For the last ten years, neuroscientists and psychologists have been carefully studying the brain mechanisms of empathy. As is often the case, we are talking about a complex phenomenon, and the feeling of empathy can be caused by several processes that are not mutually exclusive. This may be visual or auditory perception what the other person feels. It causes a similar process in our brain. However, we can feel the emotions of another even through writing and thought, that is, in the absence of the person himself. To put it simply, it appears that the sensation of another's experience is caused by mechanisms that are quite similar to those at work when we ourselves experience that experience. That is, it is something like a brain copy of the feelings felt by another person.

— As you already said, not all people suffering from empathy disorder are psychopaths. But what can a person face with this kind of violation?

- Low empathy for the feelings of others can make it difficult to interact with loved ones, neighbors and colleagues. This disorder leads to isolation of a person, making him indifferent to the difficulties, problems and suffering of others. This trait is certainly a factor predisposing to aggression, antisocial behavior and crime. At the same time, it is highly valued in crisis situations, when decisions must be made that will harm some people but will overall produce positive results.

For example, this is the case when it is necessary to fire some employees in order to save the enterprise during natural disasters or war. Empathy and social ethics also do not always get along with each other. The ability to empathy, that is, understanding the feelings of another person, can be used to harm him. Good luck to that an example is family quarrels.

Philippe Vernier, Sr. Researcher National Center for Scientific Research.