I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a conversation and all of a sudden I find myself in a constant yawning fit. If you didn’t already know, the average yawn lasts 6 seconds. It is extremely embarrassing to repeatedly yawn in front of someone for that amount of time, is it not? If you can in any way relate to this, then you know how much of a pain it can be. I found myself having to walk away from people because I just couldn’t stop.
So one day I sat down and pondered to myself quietly and found myself asking, “What does this excessive yawning mean?” If you have asked yourself this on more than one occasion, you may have the same frequent yawning problem that I do.
So, what exactly does it mean when we yawn? Is it contagious? Sometimes, it seems to be. I have always wondered why yawning was something we all just seem to do at any given point during the day. So, if you are intrigued as to why we do it, how we do it, if it’s really contagious or not, and if it is trying to tell us something, then sit back while I explain to you why yawning happens.
What Is Yawning? Why Do We Do It?
Yawning can best be described as the process of brain cooling, in layman’s terms. This process acts like a radiator in a car. It removes blood that is too hot from the brain and then replaces it with cooler blood from the lungs and other extremities.
Here is something even more interesting. It has been shown that we tend to yawn more when it is colder. Cooler air means a cooler brain. So naturally, our bodies are going to take the coldest air it can get.
So, when we yawn, we are just cooling down our brains. This makes sense to me because on days when I am really overworked, i find myself yawning more than I want to. This is why we yawn while we exercise. As our bodies heat up, it triggers a yawn to expel the warmth.
Yawning & Body Language, What Is It Saying?
Body language tells people a lot about who we are and how we are feeling. I frequently find myself yawning for no reason. Why is this? Am I bored? Am I Tired? Well, after much research, I figured out that yawning is signaling a change in my body.
When we watch someone else yawn, we usually yawn as well. This is a common behavior in packs of animals. They yawn to communicate. So, when we see someone else doing it, our bodies think that we are trying to communicate, even though this is considered an outdated ancient mechanism.
So basically, yawning is contagious. When we see someone else do it, we will most likely do it as well.
Excessive Yawning, Is this A Concern?
As I have said before, we yawn when we are tired, bored, and exercising, but what does it mean when we yawn excessively for no real reason? Is it necessary to make an appointment with your doctor? If so, your doctor is going to ask you about your sleep habits, so be 100% honest.
The cause of excessive yawning could be many things including drowsiness, disorders that cause sleepiness such as narcolepsy, sleep disorders, side effects of medications, vasovagal reactions, and can sometimes warn of an impending heart attack, although this is rare.
Less common causes of excessive yawning can indicate epilepsy, a brain tumor or a stroke, multiple sclerosis, or even liver failure. If you are panicking, stop. These are very uncommon and if you think that you may have a problem, talk to your doctor for reassurance.
Is Yawning Something Spiritual?
If you believe in a higher power, then this is the right section for you. If you absolutely cannot relate to this in any way, skip over this section. I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
Many people believe that yawning is the work of a higher power. One woman has claimed that the Hebrew word for “spirit” is nishama, which is the same exact word for “breath”. When we yawn, it is actually our spirit trying to relax.
The same thing happens during prayer. When we pray, we are becoming closer to god (or whichever higher power you worship). If you don’t pray, don’t take this to heart. This is just a suggestion for those who believe in something higher than us.
The Loud Yawner
Loud yawning really isn’t something that is caused by a medical disorder. Loud yawning is just something we do. Me, I am a loud yawner when I am alone. Sometimes it just feels better to let out some sound while yawning. To me, it somehow makes the yawn feel better.
There really is no medical proof of the reason we yawn loudly. Some of us are just loud yawners. If someone is bothering you with their loud yawns, walk away or politely tell them they are distracting you. Not sure how far that will get you, but hey, it’s worth a shot.
A Short Conclusion
Well, I hope that my little blurb about yawning didn’t make you yawn. Although, based on medical research that tell us yawning is contagious, even just by talking or thinking about it, it is possible you yawned more than twice while reading this. Did you? If so, it proves that you can yawn just by reading or talking about it. With that said, if you have any comments or questions about this article, feel free to voice your opinion. If you loved it, share it! Let’s see if your friends or family can yawn just by reading this. Not because it’s boring, but because it’s science.