It seemed to me that in order not to "stagnate" the jaw muscles, because a person completely opens his mouth only when he brushes his teeth, and while breathing or eating, we work the jaw by a maximum of a third :))

To answer

I read in some scientific journal (which one, unfortunately, I do not remember) that yawning served as a signal in higher primates to collectively go to sleep, which is why it is "contagious."
Probably it looks like this. Initially, yawning was a "unconditioned reflex act" of fish and reptiles under conditions of oxygen starvation. For example, a fish in warm water, usually not rich in oxygen, floats to the surface and swallows air. In all the "evolutionary descendants" of fishes, this "unconditioned reflex act" has been preserved. In higher animals, for example, in primates, it manifests itself during fatigue and when the body is preparing for sleep, apparently then the supply of oxygen to the brain is reduced, if only due to a decrease in the overall activity of the body. Well, since this behavior was regular when going to sleep, and the simultaneous going to sleep of the great apes gave them some evolutionary advantages, as a result of natural selection, "yawning" was fixed as an "infectious! Unconditioned reflex act." It remains only to find out - what such evolutionary advantages has the signal of "simultaneous going to sleep" for the great apes. For example, such an assumption: at night, all the same, primates cannot show activity, but during the day, if all members of the herd have slept equally well, then if necessary, it is possible to show maximum activity to all at the same time, i.e. no tired and sleepy. In addition, since the animals were active at the same time, in such populations there was a higher level of communication between individuals, and therefore their ability for more perfect and successful social behavior in a hostile natural environment (and for higher primates this is especially important) , which naturally had a positive effect on natural selection for such populations.
It would be interesting to hear the opinions of experts on this matter.

To answer

but how to explain the following facts that I have the opportunity to observe in my body?
1. during classes on educational courses lasting 3 hours, often during the second half of the classes, the mouth simply does not close from yawning - and there is no way to overcome this in yourself, although there is absolutely no desire to sleep! The strangest thing is that as soon as the classes are over, the yawning disappears like a hand.
2. The same thing happens during physical activity (active!) - the last hour of fitness is spent in the fight against yawning, and this continues exclusively until the minute of the end of the workout.

To answer

“3 hours, often during the second half of the class, the mouth just doesn’t close from yawning - and there’s no way to overcome it, although there is absolutely no desire to sleep!” Here. And on the sixth pair of figs you yawn.

To answer

Yes, and still wondering why we are drawn to yawn when we are talking with a person with whom we are not interested?
Sometimes I can hardly restrain a yawn. But as soon as we stop talking, I'm so cheerful again, and I don't feel like yawning at all. :)

To answer

or maybe yawning is an assessment of the surrounding situation, well, that is, favorable or not for rest? After all, as soon as one starts to yawn, then others also begin to assess the situation around them, and then if they agree that it is possible to rest, then they also begin to yawn.

To answer

It seems to me that yawning is the same stretching, only for the respiratory system. Animals often do both things at the same time. And a person is embarrassed to stretch in public, but he can yawn, covering his mouth with his hand. Therefore, in humans, these actions are sometimes performed separately.

To answer

Yawning is "contagious" because in the nerve centers performing the yawning act, there is a summation of subthreshold excitation from lung receptors with external afferentation coming from sensory systems that record the yawning of another person. Latent excitement in the nerve centers, which has not reached the threshold that can cause a yawning reflex, thus becomes a threshold and is realized in the act of yawning.
Perhaps it really once served as a collective signal to go to sleep, I don't know. Its emergence, in principle, can be secondary - that is, there was a ritualization of this pattern. But the mechanism itself is as follows - the summation of excitations.

To answer

I agree that I really want to yawn already at the thought of yawning and when discussing this topic, and that very often you have to yawn when the brain is clearly overloaded with information, moreover, read in a monotonous voice of the lecturer ... how is all this connected with the need to straighten the lungs !?

To answer

You are all right and you are saying everything correctly, but do not say the most important thing. The fact is that this phenomenon cannot be explained only from the point of view of the materialistic understanding of the world. It's all about the complex energy potential. Do one simple experiment. Bring your palm to your mouth and just exhale the air, remember the sensations in your palm. When you yawn, remember your experience, and once again bring your hand up, and you will be surprised how much more energy is released when yawning than just exhaling. The palm is simply burned, and not just heat is released, but biological (astral-mental) energy. Yawning is a way to equalize the energy levels of the body and brain. The brain, making up 2% of a person's mass, consumes 20% of all energy. The whole body works for the brain! That is, in the evening, when a person is tired, the energy potential of his body is very low, at this time, when his brain is still working at full capacity and "overheated", a huge amount of "unnecessary" energy is diverted from the brain into the surrounding space by yawning. the brain is "cooled", the energy potential of the whole body is aligned, before falling asleep. Most importantly, this energy is not only thermal. At a lecture, when a person sits motionless for a long time, the energy potential of the body decreases again, the brain in relation to the body becomes "hot" and the body's defensive reaction occurs - yawning - release, energy withdrawal from the brain, the energy potentials of the brain and body are again aligned. When the body freezes, yawning is also observed - cooling of the brain. In the morning, when you first wake up, the brain starts to work much faster than the body. The body has a greater mass, is more energetic, lazy, heats up slowly, while an energy imbalance between the "processor" and the "iron" is quickly created again and our "cooler" - yawning - immediately turns on. Try to do exercises in the morning, and the energies will quickly equalize, there will be no yawning. Yawning is a way to protect the brain from overheating, and this is typical not only for people, but also for animals, birds, fish - everyone who has a more or less developed brain. The most interesting thing happens after yawning. A clot of energy, taken away from the brain and hovering in space, forms a kind of intelligent energy creature (a kind of intelligent dung), which is urgently needed in the astral world as not only an energy feed, but also an independent energy entity. And This essence begins to quickly lose its energy, radiating it into space or being pulled apart by the energy vampires of the astral world. There is nothing wrong with this, it is like ordinary biological waste, which is home and food for bacteria and worms. Possessing partial intelligence, this entity is afraid of death, and does not want to be pulled apart, begins to actively pump out energy from the surrounding biological entities - you and me, in the form of collective yawns, prolonging its existence as much as possible. That's all, everything else: reflexes, oxygen, lungs - are secondary and cannot explain the main thing.

To answer

Vov, very interesting and original interpretation. have never met such an explanation anywhere .. write pzhlst where you read about it.

I agree with everything except: "A lump of energy, taken away from the brain and hovering in space, forms a kind of intelligent energy creature ... urgently needed in the astral world as not only an energy feed, but also an independent energy entity." "Possessing partial intelligence, this entity is afraid of death, and does not want to be pulled apart, begins to actively pump out energy from the surrounding biological entities - you and me, in the form of collective yawns, prolonging its existence as much as possible."

about the "bunch of energy" .. in theory, in order to avoid temperature and energy imbalance between the brain and the body (the person from whom this essence takes it), the body should not give up the energy accumulated during the day ...
but everything else surprisingly accurately explains this phenomenon .. =)

To answer

Good day!
The body does not accumulate energy per day, it rather spends it and
transforms.Energy a person receives either from food, or vampirism.
The brain is the main human organ, all other organs are created for it
service.
Like a car that has been driven all day in the evening cools down
parked, so a person "cools down" in the evening, in the morning
"starts up". And like a car, the engine is the hottest in
regarding the rest of the parts, and the brain of a person tired for a day
is hot and hot. Cooling car clicks exhaust
pipe, gurgles with antifreeze, etc. - "yawns", and the person cools the brain
yawning, striking the balance of energy between a hot brain and a tired
body. It's not a waste of energy, it's just a form of quick
putting yourself in order. You can cover the car with a blanket, but it will
all night "moan" and do not calm down until the morning, and a person, if not
yawn, will not fall asleep and will not rest if it does not dump excess energy
excitement. Maybe with a car and not a very good example.
But if in a car it is just heat energy, then the brain produces
in addition to tepic energy, there is also a special subtle (astral, semi-intelligent energy).
This energy is structured by the brain into a special cell, a matrix that has,
if I may say so? elements of the mind, since it is developed by the brain.
It's like an animal warmth, snuggle up to a cat, a dog and you will feel
that the heat generated by them differs from the heat of an electric heater or battery
heating. But this intelligent energy, not possessing material "capacity"
for existence in space, it quickly fades away, melts away.
Life lives off life. A person even eating plants, seeds,
absorbs other life and energy to replenish its own.
Energies are different. Thermal, chemical, biological and energy
"reasonableness". There is nothing scary or creepy in this. This is for everyone
the law of conservation and transformation of energy known in the material world.
Here with this very energy of the radiation of the mind, not only of a person, but also
any object, including the Earth, and the most interesting
phenomena. This energy serves as the basis for the life of the astral world - the World of the subtle
entities. They are created by our energy, thoughts, emotions. They simply
recycle it like bacteria in the material world recycle
waste of our biological life, making it possible for our existence in
this world.
A peculiar column of astral, subtle
reasonable energy, which swirls over us a kind of vortex, spin,
torsion funnel of energy, peculiarly structured (like water,
flowing out of the bath swirls into a vortex). Ancient circle dances
round dances around dolmens, trees whirled the general vortex of the astral
flow around a stone, tree, other place of power, which was modulated
thoughts and desires of the participants in the mystery. And this prayer through the astral world
changed the course of events in the material world. For this and still serve
church services and high domes of our churches, on the bulbs of which and
these torsion fields are twisted. Man intuitively or under the influence
from the outside I picked up the shape of the bulbs so that it is more convenient to twist on their surface
bagel vortex, and increase the effectiveness of your prayers. And the direction
the rotation of the field determines the so-called mentality of earthlings. These torsines
then they live independently, merging into one huge, hanging over
every city and feeding on our energies. And yawning is, so,
a trifle, like cleaning the furnace from burning tons of coal in the boiler room.
But I got carried away and this is a completely different topic ...
Where did I read this? I do not remember, everywhere a drop of information, of which and
the picture of the world was built. Or maybe this is the result of reflection or
clarifications, the result of intuitive knowledge of the world.
If interested, write, we'll talk ...

To answer

"The palm is simply burned, and not just heat is released, but biological (astral-mental) energy." First, there is NO specifically biological, let alone astral-mental energy. And secondly, just when you yawn, covering your mouth with your hand, she does not feel ANYTHING AT ALL. A simple exhalation is just felt like a jet of hot air.

To answer

"In the morning, when you just wake up, the brain starts to work much faster than the body. The body has a greater mass, more energetic, lazy, heats up slowly, while an energy imbalance between the" processor "and" iron "is quickly created again and ours immediately turns on." cooler "- yawning." On the contrary, 50 milliseconds are enough for the body, while half-asleep of the brain lasts from six hours to one and a half minutes. And you are not on a dictation, where it makes no sense to write correctly. Here the opposite is true.

To answer

The fact that yawning is contagious, you are trying to explain from the point of view of the theory of evolution. I will not say that this remains an unproven theory, but nevertheless everyone believes in it. Well, God bless him.
And how could the predators not think of hunting like that - he ran into the cave, yawned, everyone around him snored - chew, I don't want to.
Or here is another clever fellow with astral egregors, carrying another nonsense here.

And yet, why is it contagious?

To answer

Also, while reading the comments, I gawked. And my pictures were disabled, I only saw the text. Those. the very concept of yawning triggers the yawning reflex. But, for example, if cats yawn at home or a dog I don't want to yawn at all.
Here they expressed an interesting opinion that yawning serves to bring the body into working condition, and not vice versa. Somehow it did not occur to me, but the truth is - if we are bored, tends to sleep, but we still do not go to sleep for various reasons - we yawn, the body gets a shake from a sharp influx of oxygen when inhaling and removing carbon dioxide when exhaling. And part of the muscles comes into tension, just like when stretching.
Here are just a few things that are incomprehensible. Why does the mouth open so wide? After all, for a deep breath, this is not necessary. It happens to me that the hypoglossal muscle is cramping. The version to stretch the jaw joints is somehow not suitable for activating the body's work. Personally, only one option comes to my mind - in this way a facial massage is done, because pay attention when we yawn, our mouth does not just open, but many muscles on the face are strained. In physical education lessons, we were told how to tone ourselves up, one of them was to rub our face with the palms of our hands (by the way, it really helps).
The next incomprehensible moment is the reason for the "infectiousness" of yawning. All the versions sounded here sound somehow not convincing. Agree with a yawn, a person experiences pleasure, there is even the expression "sweet yawn." And all such reactions in the body are caused by their importance for its vital activity (sneeze, eat, scratch, stretch, relieve, etc.). Therefore, I do not agree that the cause of the contagiousness of yawning is social in nature. The reasons must be physiological. But which ones?
I liked the version that was posted just above about energy cleansing. There is something in it, but I still disagree with many things. I didn’t understand how the brain chills when yawning. And the hottest organ is still the liver. Perhaps it meant a little different, not thermal cooling? And again, it is not clear why at a sound we frown and open our mouth, if the released energy is of an astral nature?

To answer

The next holidays have passed. Again, many of us were comfortable sitting up late in front of the televisions. Not wanting to interrupt watching festive performances, concerts, films. And still, two hours later, you started yawning. Occasionally at first. And then, if something special is not undertaken, we do it more and more often, from time to time falling into a slumber. Up to the fact that we fall asleep at the most interesting place.

So what is this glamor - yawning. Sometimes it manifests itself in the most inappropriate place, at the most inopportune time. So let's say, the author of these lines watched Tengiz Abuladze's film "Repentance" twice, and for the first time during the years of its appearance on the screen. And both times I started to doze steadily towards the end of the first episode. And the whole second. Although the “Tree of Desire” by the same author, also in Georgian, back in the seventies I watched with great interest.

Let's start with what others have to say about yawning. For example, back in 2001, such a note was placed in “Arguments and Facts”, in the appendix “Health”, No. 22:

“Yawning is said to be very beneficial to health. When yawning, a person's airways expand as much as possible, the muscles relax, then a brief, but very pleasant for the body, loss of consciousness sets in. Yawning helps the body to relieve fatigue, mental stress, “shake off” stress, renew the air in the lungs. Therefore, do not be offended by those who accidentally yawn next to you. This is not from disrespect and lack of interest in you, just in this way the person shows that he is relaxed, resting, he feels good next to you. "

And here is another, later message on this topic that appeared on the Internet a little over a year ago with the coordinates: http://www.ria.ua/viev.php?id=20509

“Scientists believe that yawning is not at all an indicator of sleep deprivation, it is a physiological action that stimulates the brain. So yawning in class turns out to be even useful!

Yawning is a reflex act that appears when fatigue, being in a stuffy or smoky room, deterioration of the heart and blood vessels, lack of muscle activity, as well as in a drowsy state, says physiologist Valentin Zaserdny.

The best way to combat yawning is to ventilate the area. Gymnastic exercises with the window open can also help relieve yawning. A person yawns because his brain is in a state of inhibition, and yawning “drives up” the activity of brain cells, improves cerebral blood circulation. And if neither fresh air nor gymnastics help in the fight against yawning, if it is persistent and prolonged, it is imperative to consult a doctor.

It has long been known that yawning occurs most often from fatigue or boredom. But there is a lot of controversy around the physiological process itself. Physiologist Valentin Zaserdny believes that the nerve cells of the brain react in this way to fatigue and send a signal to the muscles of the face. In most cases, yawning warns of the transition from wakefulness to sleep. "

In general, the second message is more accurate. In general, others do not differ from these two, for example, this one called “Yawn for vigor”, http://intermed.w3.comset.net/news.php?id=295&limit=672. There are also materials that add about the contagiousness of yawning and the like. But, nevertheless, they are inherent in some one-sidedness in consideration, in approaches.

yawn already or are still relaxed people ?!

But, before clarifying the above interpretations, let us give our point of view on the essence of yawning and its usefulness. In general, while agreeing with the description of the physiology of the yawning process, let us note not entirely correct interpretations of whether yawning is good or not, for whom and in what case.

Researchers studying various processes of the human body, including reflexive ones, have probably noticed the following long ago. That, just as yawning is more related to the mental sphere, its analogue for muscles and body - stretching - refers more to the sphere of somatic, physical. Both in an adult and in children. Even the animals. The same dogs or cats.

If you look closely at the times and situations when this happens, you will notice the following.

First, both yawning and stretching are involuntary acts, that is, they are not initiated by consciousness (we are not talking about their imitation). And their launch is carried out at the subconscious level. The subconscious, at the level of which there is, figuratively speaking, constant monitoring, tracking both the current state of the body and psyche, and conditional views for the future of their state. In addition, it is at the subconscious level that most of the life-supporting processes of the body and psyche are controlled and regulated. That is, they are not controlled by consciousness, not by the cortical structures of the brain.

Secondly, it can be noted that stretching and, especially, yawning, as a rule, are involuntarily provoked on the border of the states of the body and the psyche, characterized as sleep-wakefulness and wakefulness-sleep. And their first manifestation can be called, in such a way, a trigger switch of the state, respectively, of the psyche and the body. Without dwelling here on depressions and states close to them, let's say that the behavior of the psyche when yawning, and the body, organs - when stretching, depending on which side (sleep-wakefulness in the morning, or, for example, from wakefulness to sleep in the evening ) is approaching its, as it were, the antipode, the state of the individual - will be significantly different.

After normal sleep, both yawning and stretching occur against the background of partially or fully recovered adaptive capacity. But not yet included adequately for the solution of current, actualized tasks. And, in this case, their manifestations carry, as it were, an impulse function that removes the psyche and the body from such a borderline state, “stupor”. These are good yawns and stretches. Although attention and concentration are not one hundred percent, they are on the way to the optimum. Shake the bonds of sleep just a little more. By means of an involuntary "afterburner", triggered in one case by yawning, and in the other - by stretching.

Yawning and stretching, which usually occurs after a long time of wakefulness, when a relatively long perception, almost at the level of "afterburner", that is, the same overexertion - a difficult situation, process (lesson, lecture, performance, report, situation on the road, etc. .) depletes the optimal current adaptive capabilities for concentration, attention, catching subtle, but significant changes - they are, as it were, a signal that further engagement in the current business, process, will no longer be productive. And the perception of the thread or essence of the process, conversation, communication - begins to get lost, go beyond the framework of conscious perception. That is, at the subconscious level, the attention trigger is reset. Which is equivalent to the fact that under the current circumstances - the deep structures of consciousness (consider, subconsciousness) are no longer able to adequately perceive information in the same way and further.

In particular, yawning is provoked by the subconscious even when the most tense situation is no longer perceived as dangerous. That is, a conscious analysis of the situation with the silent consent of the subconscious says that the essentially dangerous part of what caused, required attention, tension, composure has already been passed, it has “dissipated” or overcome. That it is not relevant.

who should get upset by others yawning?

In the second case (involuntary withdrawal from maintaining the tension of attention or the skeleton and muscles), the situation begins to slip out of control, since the psyche or body and muscles, in the case of involuntary stretching, are at the limit of their current adaptive capabilities. For some because of the monotony, and for others because of the unperceivable complexity. And without adequate replenishment of opportunities for adaptation (or, more simply, rest, recuperation), there will be no adequate response (attention, control over thought, driving the road, actually fine-tuned actions, etc.). The monotony of the perception of the situation, the current decrease in the relevance of motivation due to fatigue helpfully prompt the tired attention that “everything is in order, relax, you’re tired”. Therefore, the monotony of pumping, perceptions will quickly lead to the fact that the situation will soon get out of control. And the first bell, the signal of this, is the involuntary yawning.

This is something that teachers and instructors should especially remember. And to all those who want to interest their potential partners in business negotiations. Since at the level of consciousness your interlocutor, listener, partner can and wants to still treat you favorably. But, at the level of their subconsciousness, a thought is already being formed that you are already "loading" them. Latent rejection and irritation are growing.

In general, if your potential partners are not tired, but in the course of communication with you, they involuntarily begin to yawn, take note that your proposals do not seem worthy of their attention. Or it is incomprehensible and difficult to set out. Therefore, if circumstances allow, it is better to correctly curtail, round off the communication, preparing for the next time in more detail.

This does not mean at all that you need to express your thoughts in a tricky way. Simpler and easier to understand. But so as to hook the interest. And then, the situation ...

Yawning is an unconditioned reflex that manifests itself in the form of a special respiratory act that occurs involuntarily. It all starts with a long deep breath, during which all possible obstacles to air penetration are removed, namely, the mouth and glottis open wide. Immediately after inhalation, a rapid exhalation follows, accompanied by a characteristic sound.

It should be noted that not only people yawn, but almost all living inhabitants of our planet - mammals, birds, amphibians and even fish. We ourselves begin to yawn while still in the womb.

The exact reasons for yawning are not yet fully established, at the same time, there are several hypotheses about the occurrence of this reflex.

Fatigue and lack of sleep

Very often people start yawning when tired and not slept. At such moments, inhibition processes begin to prevail in the brain, as a result of which the activity of nerve cells decreases. The processes of inhibition of brain neurons affect many functions of the human body, including breathing, which becomes less deep and rare. As a result, oxidized metabolic products begin to accumulate in the blood. They irritate specific receptors and provoke yawning.

This version gives yawning a certain physiological meaning. During yawning, the blood is enriched with oxygen and the accumulated carbon dioxide is removed. In addition, increased blood flow in the vessels of the brain. This happens because when yawning, the muscles of the face, neck and mouth are tense. Together with blood, more nutrients and oxygen begin to enter the brain, and metabolic products, on the contrary, are intensively excreted. As a result, the activity of the brain stops for a while.

Most likely, nature has provided for such a mechanism in order to postpone rest for some time, if for some reason it cannot take place. However, it should be understood that this cannot last long, and if you already began to yawn, then perhaps it's time to rest and recuperate.

Overheating of the brain

This version explains the situations when yawning appears in a completely vigorous person, and it cannot be explained by fatigue or lack of sleep. This can happen with excitement, psychological stress, while in a hot and stuffy room.

In this case, according to scientists, the cause of yawning is overheating of the brain, which requires maintaining a constant temperature, and even a slight increase in it leads to disruption of its activity. At the same time, yawning is necessary for the regulation of brain temperature. During the initial deep breath, a fair amount of cold air enters the body. In the lungs, this air heats up, cooling the blood, and is quickly expelled. The cooled blood enters the blood vessels of the brain and takes away excess heat. If the problem persists, yawning may recur.

Benefits of yawning

According to doctors, yawning is beneficial: the muscles relax and the airways expand. Thanks to yawning, fatigue, nervous tension is removed, the work of the brain is activated. This normalizes blood pressure, improves mood, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Yawning as a symptom

You should be alert if yawning does not stop and repeats for no apparent reason. Uncontrollable yawning may indicate the presence of a number of pathological conditions that require specialist intervention.

If repeated yawning is accompanied by drowsiness, malaise, weakness, then this may indicate diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems, burnout syndrome and chronic fatigue.

Attacks of uncontrollable yawning can occur with vegetative-vascular dystonia, cerebrovascular accident, migraine, multiple sclerosis. Such yawning should not be ignored and it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Many people notice that when visiting church, standing at church services, or reading a prayer at home, a person begins to yawn. And the more he does it, the easier it becomes. Why is this happening? There is an opinion that a demon sits in a person, and therefore it happens so. Is it true?

In fact, yawning can come from being relaxed. During a visit to the temple or while reading prayers, a person relaxes. At this moment, demons can tempt our flesh, but you should not think that yawning is a sign of demoniacal possession.

Yawning while praying

If, while reading conspiracies or prayers, you begin to yawn, and the yawning does not let you go, pay attention to the room in which you are praying. If this happens only in a certain place, then it is quite possible that the room is stuffy and there is nothing to breathe; therefore, due to the lack of oxygen, you begin to yawn.

It is also worth paying attention to the time of day and your condition. If this happens early in the morning, in the evening after a hard day's work, or when you are very tired, then perhaps you just want to sleep, and yawning is a completely natural process.

If you start yawning regardless of the time of day and the room in which you are, then there is a possibility that you are influenced by dark forces. As you know, evil spirits very often interfere with a person who reads prayers, sending sneezes, yawns, scabies, etc. on him. To get rid of bad influences, do the following.

During the waning moon, light a blue candle every day in the evening, put it in an uncut glass filled with salt and read the plot 3 times:

“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I drive out from myself, from the environment of furry devils, black demons, evil devils and all the evil spirits of the underworld. I implore you, unclean ones, not to approach me from now on, not to ruin my prayer. Amen"

Try not to yawn as you read.

Yawning as a sign of the evil eye

There is also an opinion that yawning during prayer is a sign of the evil eye, which must be gotten rid of. This can be done as follows.

Take a mild knife, and lightly pressing it on the skin, draw a cross 33 times in the heart area, reading during this conspiracy:

“I bring out the evil eye, let it go into the clouds, continue to live without the evil eye. I kill with a knife, pierce with a knife, fix it with a cross. Amen.

Why does a person yawn?

The reasons for yawning are varied. Let's consider them in more detail:

Violation of the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen. When a lot of carbon dioxide builds up in our blood, our body responds by yawning, during which a person receives a large portion of oxygen, which allows us to maintain balance.
Yawning like an energy drink. In the morning, yawning helps our body to activate. For the same purpose, a person begins to yawn, feeling signs of fatigue. There is a connection between yawning and stretching. If these two processes are done simultaneously, then we will not only saturate the blood with oxygen, but also improve blood circulation. After such actions, attention is strengthened, and the person feels more cheerful.
Yawning as a sedative. Before exciting events, many people begin to yawn, which allows them to activate their energy and invigorate. It was noticed that yawning "attacks" students before the exam, the athletes before the competition, the patients before the examination, and the artists before the performance. This process tones the body and helps to cope with anxiety.
Yawning is good for your nose and ears. During it, the channels leading to the Eustachian tubes and maxillary sinuses open and straighten out, this helps to get rid of "stuffiness" in the ears.
Relaxation by yawning. Yawning not only invigorates but can also relax. Free yawning is used in some relaxation techniques. You need to lie down, relax as much as possible and open your mouth - the yawning process will begin very soon, after which you will feel calm and peaceful.
Yawning before bed. In the evening, our body prepares for sleep, our heart rate returns to normal, there is a feeling of peace. Yawning helps us relax after a day. This is why people yawn before bed.
Yawning to nourish the brain. Scientists argue that a person who is in a state of passivity slows down breathing, and nerve cells begin to work worse. Yawning replenishes the lack of oxygen and improves blood circulation. The brain gets the nourishment it needs, and we are energized - both mentally and physically. This is why people yawn when they are bored.
Yawning can reduce mental stress. This is probably why we yawn when we watch a boring movie or listen to an uninteresting lecture.
Yawning is like mini-gymnastics for the face. By yawning, we improve the blood supply to brain cells. This is due to the fact that during this process the muscles of the face, neck and mouth are tense. Such gymnastics activates the brain.
Regulation of brain temperature. Some scientists argue that yawning serves as a regulator of brain temperature. When a person is hot, he yawns more often, thus receiving a portion of cool and fresh air, thanks to which the brain "cools" and begins to function normally.

Yawn: interesting facts

a person yawns for about 6 seconds on average;
Autistic children usually do not yawn in response;
the frequency of yawning in men and women is the same;
men cover their mouth less often while yawning;
people who yawn too often should see a doctor, as this may be a sign of certain medical conditions.

You may have noticed that yawning is contagious. If you look at someone yawning, you will soon start yawning yourself. Scientists argue that this is due to the fact that we subconsciously empathize with other people, and therefore it happens.

Why does a person yawn, the meaning of yawning and omens

A person yawns while still in the womb and after birth this process accompanies the whole life. At this time, the chin with the lower jaw drops, the head is thrown back, the eyes are closed. In addition, the actions are accompanied by muscle stretching. The mechanism and meaning of these movements, scientists still cannot explain in detail. It is difficult to say why, when yawning a person nearby, it is so difficult to stay so as not to miss the answer.

Physiological causes

Yawning does not always signal that the body wants to sleep. There is an opinion among scientists that it indicates a lack of oxygen in the body, but the yawn is not associated with breathing. It has already been proven that an attack of yawning can overtake people both in the moment of boredom and during vigorous activities.

Scientists are trying to explain this process for various reasons, including psychological and physiological. From a physiological point of view, yawning is triggered by the following factors:

Yawning is necessary to maintain a normal carbon dioxide to oxygen ratio. As a result of this act, there is a strong inhalation with an open mouth and a sharp exhalation, which enriches the tissues and organs with the oxygen necessary for normal life.
Yawning is a sedative for the nervous system, helping to overcome stress, which is why it can prevail before exciting communication.
Acts as a stimulus to trigger the energy reserve that occurs as a result of oxygen enrichment after yawning. The activity of the brain is activated, albeit for a short time.

Scientists in the course of the study noticed that during a boring lesson, students or schoolchildren can yawn more than 20 times during an hour in order to somehow invigorate the body and tune it to work.

The reason for yawning before bed is to help the body relax and prepare for sleep.
This process is triggered when there is a feeling of congestion in the ear as a result of pressure imbalance.
It is believed that, in this way, the brain temperature is regulated. That is why the desire to yawn arises during the stuffiness and heat in the room. During this movement, a deep breath is taken, which means that more oxygen enters the body.
There is a version that myocardial infarction or existing tumors can irritate the vagus nerve passing from the head to the abdomen, which provokes many reactions, including frequent yawning.
The reasons may be hidden behind neurological conditions, for example, it has been noticed that patients diagnosed with epilepsy often yawn, which is again associated with a lack of oxygen to the brain.
Yawning is a consequence of the onset of a period of inhibition after arousal. Some functions are inhibited at this time, the amount of metabolic products in the blood increases, which provokes this process.
A hungry stomach can also trigger the yawning process.
If you have not been able to get enough sleep, then you will surely have a desire to yawn.

The listed versions of yawning once again confirm that constant yawning can be not only a symptom of lethargy, boredom, drowsiness, but also some diseases in the body.

If, while yawning, an adult has a feeling of incomplete inhalation, lack of air, then you need to see a doctor and check your lungs. In the fair sex, such sensations can be a symptom of breast cancer.

From the point of view of psychology

Psychologists explain the reasons for this process from their point of view. Constant yawning can be caused by prolonged stress or nervous overload. Such an act can provoke an attack of fear or anxiety, because at this moment the body's need for oxygen increases.

Depression is also often characterized by a strong urge to yawn. During such situations, the human body is in dire need of hyperventilation of the lungs, which provokes yawning.

Features of the child's body

If a child often yawns, this does not mean that he is mirroring the movements of his parents. Young children do not yet have such feelings as empathy, so the “mirror” act is not typical for them.

If parents notice that their child is constantly yawning, then the following problems can be suspected:

disturbances in the work of the nervous system;
stress;
fear;
anxiety;
nervous overstrain.

If you suspect psychological and neurological problems, you should visit a specialist. But most often the reason is rather commonplace - oxygen deficiency. In such situations, there can be only one recommendation - to walk more with the baby in the fresh air.

Function

Even scientists are not yet ready to give an exact answer to this question. There are many opinions and versions, and among them the following can be considered the most reliable:

Yawning serves to improve the supply of oxygen to the tissues.
This act helps to restore the functioning of the brain, so it can attack while performing monotonous or boring work. As a result, blood circulation is activated, the mind is enlightened and efficiency increases.
Psychologists say that yawning is designed to relieve stress, tension and mental fatigue.
Yawning is intended to relax the tight and tired muscles of the neck and the whole body, because it is not without reason that we try to stretch during this process.

Yawning is an important and, as it turns out, necessary reflex for the body.

Why is yawning contagious?

Each of us noticed, as soon as the person next to yawns, such a desire is immediately transmitted to the interlocutor. What is the phenomenon of infectiousness - scientists are trying to explain this by two reasons:

"Non-verbal reflex".

According to this theory, the act of yawning is transmitted from one person to another due to the "primitive memory". Ancient people did not know how to speak, communicated with each other with the help of facial expressions and gestures. When it was time to go to sleep, the yawning of the tribal leader meant that it was time to sleep. All the rest were to support them with a reciprocal act. This is a clear demonstration of group behavior, the actions of one person start a chain reaction. Yawning is contagious, as is laughter.

This tendency toward empathy explains the contagiousness of yawning.

Numerous studies of foreign experts confirm that not everyone starts yawning in response, but only those who have the most developed part of the brain responsible for the ability to empathize.

Surprisingly, it is almost impossible to control the process, if someone is yawning nearby, there is a desire to also miss.

Some scientists believe that yawning is more contagious than laughter because it is beyond our control. One act of yawning lasts about 6 seconds and you can yawn up to 75 times in half an hour. Here's some more interesting information about this:

The frequency of yawning in men and women is the same, but the fair sex prefer to cover her mouth with her hand at this moment.
If, during the appearance of the desire to yawn, look at a person, then this process is unlikely to succeed.
Consciousness cannot control yawning, if it starts, it can be repeated every 60 seconds.

But the ability to yawn is not limited to humans.

In the animal world

Anyone with pets can confirm that they also like to yawn. In the world of animals, there are plenty of such persons:

Baboons, sitting on a branch, yawn to show their relatives and enemies their fearsome fangs.
Only when they are born, little hedgehogs already know how to yawn.
When looking at pelicans, it is sometimes difficult to tell if a bird is yawning or has simply opened its mouth to dry its mouth pockets.
Hippos open their mouths the widest. If he tries, in this way, to breathe, then the child may well fit in his mouth.
Cubs of dogs and cats are simply adorable while yawning.
Koalas in eucalyptus trees are famous for their slowness and laziness, it is not at all surprising that they constantly yawn.
The ostrich, upon awakening, opens its beak rather wide.
It can be assumed that the turtle opens its mouth to frighten off the enemy, but closed eyelids confirm that the animal is still yawning.
Squirrels even delicately cover their mouths with their paws while yawning.
Even fish are capable of yawning, but they most often serve as a demonstration of their readiness to attack the victim.

These are our smaller brothers, even in this they do not want to yield to us.

What provokes yawning during prayer

Many people wonder why it is difficult to overcome yawning while praying. If you talk to the priest, then, as a rule, he will assure you of the presence of damage or the evil eye. But scientists, as always, have logical explanations for this phenomenon:

It was noticed that most often the act of yawning is observed in the morning or evening hours, and it is at this time that the service is in the church. The body is either not yet fully awakened or is in a tired state. In both cases, there is a lack of oxygen for the brain to function, which provokes yawning.
While reciting a prayer aloud, there may be the usual excitement in front of a large number of people.

Believers also argue that if a person begins to yawn during prayer, then the body is cleansed of all negativity.

Interesting information from esotericists: if yawning constantly starts while reading affirmations, this means that a person has some obstacles to the implementation of his plan. You need to go through purification and remove the negative from yourself.

The protruding tears during a yawn are easily explained by purely physiological reasons. When yawning, the eyes are closed, which puts pressure on the lacrimal sacs. As a result, the lacrimal fluid is released, but does not always have time to drain into the nasopharynx.

Control measures

If yawning appears sometimes, for reasons known to you, then you should not specifically get rid of it. This is a natural physiological reaction of the body. But, if there is frequent yawning, regardless of the condition and time of day, then treatment may be required. There are several methods to get rid of this act.

Exercises

The method is called "Deep breaths". The bottom line is to take several deep, slow breaths regularly every 60 minutes. If you feel that an inappropriate yawning is approaching, then you need to inhale deeply through your mouth and exhale through your nose.

You can do without sighing, and use ordinary cold water, which to moisten the upper lip, and then the lower.

Healthy sleep

Given that lack of sleep is often the cause of constant daytime yawning, it is advisable to devote enough time to rest at night. At the same time, you need to know how much sleep the body needs to recover.

You can lie down for 20-30 minutes in the daytime. This time is enough to rest and recuperate, but not enough to fully immerse yourself in a sound sleep.

We monitor your back and lead a healthy lifestyle

Even the ancients said: "A person is healthy as much as his spine is healthy." This truth is true even now, maybe even more than before. Constant sitting at a computer monitor does not have the best effect on posture. In addition, sitting in a bent position compresses the diaphragm, which can lead to the urge to yawn.

Taking into account the lack of oxygen as the cause of yawning, then playing sports and an active lifestyle will help. After physical exertion, blood circulation is accelerated, the brain is supplied with sufficient oxygen and there is no desire to yawn.

Walking in the fresh air in any weather, and if you still quit smoking and other bad habits, the body will only say thank you.

Reviewing nutrition

Food from our table affects the functioning of the body and its condition. To prevent and combat yawning, the following guidelines will help:

The diet should be varied and complete.
Fresh vegetables and fruits should be on the table all year round.
Provide a healthy diet.
Eliminate sweets and fast foods.
Try to drink about 1.5-2 liters of water a day, but reduce the amount of coffee before bedtime.

Food should supply the body with the necessary substances for normal functioning and health, and not clog with toxins, carcinogens and useless carbohydrates.

Medicines for pathologies

If it turned out that a disease is a provocateur of frequent yawning, then you can get rid of it only after the underlying pathology has been treated.

Yawning against the background of disturbed night rest is eliminated by the normalization of sleep. To do this, you need to consult a doctor and undergo a course of drug therapy that eliminates the problem. Sometimes involuntary yawning movements are observed during therapy with certain drugs, for example, SSRIs, then you can discuss with your doctor the issue of reducing the dosage.

Yawning occurs for a variety of reasons, including physiological, psychological, and emotional. During a conversation with a friend who suddenly yawned, it is not surprising if the other person repeats the action. But we must remember that if yawning accompanies constantly for no apparent reason, then it is advisable to see a doctor so as not to miss the beginning of the development of a serious pathology.

Each of us is familiar with yawning from personal experience. But few people understand what this process is, what function it performs in the body, and whether yawning is as safe as many believe. In this article, we will take a closer look at why people yawn, and also consider many other questions regarding such a common and familiar phenomenon.

What is yawning

The first step is to understand what yawning really is. Many believe they can control this process. In fact, this is a reflex breathing act, which is characterized by deep long inhalation and short exhalation, often accompanied by a characteristic sound.

At first glance, it seems that there is nothing special about yawning, and the problem is not worth considering. However, in 2010, the International Medical Congress was held in France, the theme of which was precisely yawning. The luminaries of medical science in many countries shared their views on why a person constantly yawns, why this process is necessary for the body, and when this reflex act becomes a symptom of a disease.

To date, there are no exact, verified and confirmed answers to the questions posed, but certain assumptions still exist. We will talk about them in detail below.

When people yawn and why is it needed

There are several hypotheses about why people yawn and how this process affects the health of the body. Let's take a closer look at them.

The most common opinion in medical circles about why people yawn is the problem of lack of oxygen in the brain tissues. It is reliably known that during a deep breath, a multiply increased volume of oxygen enters the bloodstream, in contrast to normal breathing. In addition, during a yawn, the airways open wide: the pharynx, the glottis, the volume of the nasopharynx and pharynx increases. As you know, when the body is saturated with oxygen, blood flow and metabolism are accelerated. This, in turn, leads to an improvement in a person's well-being, tone. Therefore, in various situations, when the oxygen balance is disturbed, stagnant blood flow occurs, a person experiences yawning. So, after sleep, long monotonous work, a person yawns. Such a breathing act helps to cheer up, tone the body.
Another version of the cause of yawning is believed to be the need for the body to cool the brain. This hypothesis is closely related to the previous one, since its essence lies in the same saturation of the brain with a large volume of oxygen.
Why does a person often yawn during a flight? This is how the body regulates the pressure in the middle ear. This happens due to the fact that the channels that connect the pharynx and the Eustachian tubes are straightened.
Also, yawning is necessary to relieve muscle tightness. Often the breathing act is accompanied by stretching of the body. So the body is invigorated and tuned in to productive activity. It will be interesting for the fair sex to know the fact that during yawning, facial muscles are massaged, tightening them and improving skin turgor.
Why does a person often yawn? The cause may be a serious illness. Let's take a closer look at this issue and offer a list of health problems that can cause frequent yawning below.
Among other things, such a reflex breathing act tends to calm and relax the body. This is why people yawn before going to bed or during an exciting event, such as before an exam, competition, or important meeting.

Why do children yawn

Yawning in children is considered an indicator of normal lung development. It is a reliable fact that children yawn even before they are born. Such a respiratory act can be observed with the help of ultrasound examination in the fetus at 11-12 weeks of gestation. But, if yawning often helps an adult to cheer up, then such a process extremely calms the child, becomes a harbinger of sleep.

If the parents notice that the baby yawns too often, you need to pay attention to this. Perhaps the baby does not have enough oxygen and there is a need to increase the duration of walks in the fresh air. Frequent yawning in children can also indicate problems with the nervous system. In this case, an examination by a neurologist will be required.

Why do people yawn in church

You came to church for spiritual peace, when suddenly a yawn begins to overwhelm you. You become uncomfortable in front of others and have to leave the temple. Why does a person yawn in church? We hasten to reassure you - this situation happens quite often and does not depend on the age, health status of the parishioner. It is not difficult to explain this phenomenon, knowing the mechanism of yawning. In the church, several reasons appear at the same time for such a breathing process: a stuffy room, dim light, monotonous prayer. All these factors contribute to the inhibition of various body processes, including blood flow. Therefore, there is a lack of oxygen, which contributes to the involuntary reflex act.

Why do they yawn while talking

You are talking to a person, and he suddenly starts to yawn? Do not rush to accuse the interlocutor of ingratitude and indifference, and yourself - in the absence of oratorical abilities and emotionality. The situation is exactly the opposite. The yawning overpowered the listener precisely because of the increased brain activity. The opponent listened carefully to your story, so his oxygen metabolism was disturbed, and in order to replenish strength and continue the active work of the brain, the body was saturated with oxygen with the help of a yawn. Now you can safely continue your story.

In the same way, one can explain why a person yawns when talking - overstraining helps to reduce the volume of oxygen in the bloodstream, and yawning as a protective mechanism replenishes the spent energy reserve.

Is yawning contagious

It is noticed that yawning is "contagious" - as soon as one person yawns, others also begin to reflexively repeat. Why do people yawn, even when they just watch a video of a yawning person or read an article about yawning? The answer lies in the cerebral cortex. Are you yawning now? Your mirror neurons, which are located in the cerebral cortex, are at work. They are responsible for empathy and cause contagious yawning on an emotional level. It was noted that the categories of people who have less developed parts of the brain responsible for feelings are not prone to contagious yawning. These people include children under 5 years old (although there are exceptions), autistic people and those with schizophrenia.

Signs and superstitions

The people have such beliefs about yawning:

They cover their mouth with their hand during a yawn so that the devil does not fly into the soul.
Residents of Turkey believe that if you do not have time to cover your mouth during a yawn, a soul can fly out of a person.
The Indians believe that yawning is a call for death or the devil, and in order to scare off an unclean one, you need to snap your fingers.
In our open spaces, folk healers claim that the evil eye comes out in the process of yawning. And if a person yawns while talking with another, the soul is protected from unfavorable energy.

When yawning becomes a dangerous symptom

Why does a person yawn very often? Frequent yawning is a signal from the body that it lacks oxygen. In this case, ventilate the room, or better organize a walk in the fresh air.

Frequent yawning may indicate overwork. Take time for rest and good sleep, alternate vigorous activity with breaks for relaxation. Why a person yawns, we found out, but how to deal with such a process when he takes us by surprise at the most inopportune moment, for example, during a business meeting or a date with a loved one? How to cope with a reflex act and, as they say, not hit your face in the dirt in front of others? There are some powerful tips:

Fresh air will saturate the body with oxygen, and the body's need for yawning will disappear.
Daily morning jogging or other active sports can help minimize the possibility of yawning during the day.
Don't forget about proper rest and sleep.
While working at the computer, sit upright - this way the diaphragm is not squeezed, and the air saturated with oxygen is supplied in the required volume.
Learn proper deep breathing.
Drinking cold drinks or eating food will stop the yawning attack.
Express method for suppressing the reflex - as soon as you feel the urge to yawn, lick your lips.
Taking a deep breath through the nose and a short breath through the mouth also helps to curb the yawn.

So, we found out why a person yawns. It turns out that such a simple process has important functions in the work of the whole organism. Therefore, you should not treat it lightly. With prolonged and frequent yawning, be sure to undergo a heart and vascular examination under the supervision of a doctor.