Yawning is believed to be a sign of tiredness or boredom, but do you know yawning is also your body trying to send you a message?
Below are three things your body is trying to tell you when you yawn:
1) Someone around you is yawning
Yawning is c0ntagi0us. Even thinking about yawning will make you yawn. Reading an article like this might even make you yawn. This means, sometimes when you yawn, your body is telling you “Hey, I just saw someone yawn” or you have been thinking about yawning.
2) Your body is trying to be more alert
Yawning may be a way to increase alertness. Yawning has been observed before and after activities that require increased attention/focus, such as during transitions from rest to activity or vice versa.
So, if you find yourself yawning during moments of transition or when engaging in mentally demanding tasks, it could be your body’s way of preparing and priming your brain for heightened vigilance.
3) Your body is trying to regulate its temperature
When you yawn, you open your mouth wide and take in a large amount of air. This action helps cool down the brain by introducing cooler air into the nasal passages and sinuses.
So far, yawning has been shown to happen more frequently when ambient temperatures are higher. Therefore, if you find yourself yawning in warm environments or during a bout of fever, it could be your body’s way of attempting to regulate your internal temperature.
Furthermore, yawning is also a way for your body to increase oxygen intake. Basically, people yawn when they are tired, bored or someone else is yawning.
Whether it is your body reacting to someone yawning, or an attempt to regulate body temperature, yawning provides valuable cues about our overall well-being. If you however feel like you are yawning too much and it is affecting your everyday activities, you might want to pay a visit to the doctor.
