Why does a person yawn often? Causes of frequent yawning in humans

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 to be a natural process for the body, but in some cases, excessive yawning can become a symptom of a 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 consider the most common hypotheses that explain why people yawn often and how this affects the general condition of the 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 various 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.

Nervous system protection. 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 their mouths open in real 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 the physiological state of the 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:

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.
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.
Fresh air and sports. A person is saturated with oxygen during exercise, and this allows him to remain alert throughout the day. An even better option would be to spend more time outside, taking walks or doing light exercise in the fresh air.
Nutrition . Adequate nutrition will help put your body in order and get rid of frequent yawning for no reason. You should try to take vitamins, eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet and drink more fluids.

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

Physiological causes of frequent yawning include:

fatigue or drowsiness;
changes related to sleep patterns: changes in work schedule, sleep deficiency, travel associated with crossing several time zones;
a disorder such as narcolepsy, which can lead to daytime sleepiness;
sleep apnea is a disorder that restricts breathing for short periods of time;
side effects from medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are used to treat depression and anxiety;
problems with the functioning of the vagus nerve, which can be caused by bleeding in or around the aorta, or in severe cases due to a heart attack.

In some cases, frequent or excessive yawning may be an indicator of:

epilepsy;
stroke or brain tumor;
liver failure;
cardiovascular disease;
chronic venous insufficiency;
electrolyte imbalance;
an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis (leads to hypothyroidism and low thyroid hormone levels);
hypothyroidism;
multiple sclerosis.

Psychological and Emotional Causes of Excessive Yawning

Excessive yawning can be caused by emotional or psychological reasons. These include:

stress,
depression,
anxiety.

Yawning can occur when a person feels restless or has anxiety attacks. Typically, during such episodes, the body requires hyperventilation, which causes bouts of yawning. Hyperventilation makes you feel as if there is not enough air to breathe, in response, the body sends a command to the brain to do what it needs to do to get more oxygen, which is how involuntary excessive yawning occurs. Through this process, the brain tries to saturate the lungs with oxygen.

Serious and life-threatening causes of excessive yawning

Excessive yawning can sometimes be a sign that a person's condition is life-threatening. Such symptoms should be considered an emergency. This happens with a sudden deterioration in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as in chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

What to do to control yawning

Here are some tips on what you can do to control yawning and avoid excessive yawning.

Get enough sleep

The advice is quite obvious. However, when a person gets enough sleep, they are better rested and can therefore control yawning. If you don't get enough sleep, you will yawn because you won't be able to overcome your drowsiness.

Try to control yawning like this:

inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth;
when you realize you're about to yawn, try drinking a cool or chilled drink (if you have one on hand);
Eat vegetables with high water content, such as cucumbers or watermelon, to avoid excessive yawning.
if you feel like yawning, go to a cool place or thoroughly ventilate the room to lower the temperature and add oxygen to the room;
If you have an important meeting ahead, during which you should never yawn, put a damp compress on your head for a few minutes before going to such a meeting. This measure will prevent yawning until you finish your negotiations.

How to Treat Excessive Yawning

If medications such as SSRIs are determined to be the cause of your frequent yawning, your doctor may prescribe lower doses of them. Research shows that lowering the dosage can eliminate excessive yawning while leaving the desired effects of these medications intact. In any case, the doctor must decide.

If you have a sleep disorder that has caused you to yawn excessively, your doctor can advise you on what medications to take to improve your sleep and what methods to use to sleep better. One example of such conditions that cause excessive yawning is sleep apnea, which is associated with constant pressure in the airways. This means you will need to normalize your breathing and keep your airways open.

If you have other medical conditions that cause frequent yawning, such as tumors, kidney failure, liver or heart problems, or stroke, you should consult your doctor immediately.

When to see a doctor if you yawn frequently

It makes sense to consult a doctor with a complaint of frequent yawning if:

there is no explanation why you yawn often,
your frequent yawning is associated with daytime sleepiness.

Author of the article : Kristina Sumarokova, "Moscow Medicine"©
Denial of responsibility : The information provided in this article about why you yawn a lot is for informational purposes only. However, it cannot be a substitute for consultation with a professional physician.

The appearance of moles, redness of the eyes, frequent yawning - these and other “little things” can cause serious illnesses. Therefore, if you notice that your body is acting up a little, don’t expect everything to go away by itself. After all, in this visual way your body tells you about danger. And you, in turn, should inform your doctor about this!

It is easier and cheaper to treat any illness at an early stage. Therefore, it is so important to know the dangerous symptoms in order to take adequate measures to eliminate them in a timely manner.

Frequent yawning during the day

You sleep enough and get enough sleep, but you suddenly bothered by frequent yawning? Scientists have found that this physiological process helps reduce nervousness and mobilize the body.

It is for this reason reason for yawning often overcomes paratroopers before jumps, athletes before a start, musicians before a concert... Perhaps you have an exam, a public performance or some other serious test coming up? Involuntary yawning increases the body's readiness to act in critical situations.

Other theories suggest that yawning is a complex process that regulates brain temperature. Yawning brings in blood flow and cooler air, which improves brain function. It usually accompanies fatigue, drowsiness, boredom, and a depressed, sad state. If you are in a cheerful, joyful, upbeat mood, you don’t want to yawn.

To stop frequent yawning, as a rule, it is enough to change your position, straighten up and straighten your shoulders, take a few deep breaths and sharp exhalations, if possible, walk around or perform a few simple physical exercises.

If you yawn frequently, you should consult a doctor. When?

Unstoppable constant yawn may be a symptom of certain painful conditions that require medical attention. Frequent yawning, combined with excessive weakness and drowsiness, may indicate hormonal changes, chronic fatigue syndrome or burnout syndrome.

Bouts of yawning are observed when

Such a simple reflex as yawning has not yet been fully explained by scientists. However, there are many theories about why people yawn. Moreover, this process is often the first signal about the presence or development of various internal diseases, exacerbations and relapses of chronic pathologies.

Why do you want to yawn?

The main guesses are as follows.

This is the phase in which the so-called migraine headaches appear. He warns that the next stage is a headache. This can last from several hours to several days. Prodromal symptoms may vary from patient to patient, and this is true. most common.

“food” - we have a terrible desire for concrete, often in migraines, not recommended, for example, chocolate, or vice versa - loss of appetite. ~tired, tired, feeling tired, often. yawning, drowsiness, or vice versa - energy consumption has increased. activity, euphoria.

Calming effect

It has been noticed that people often yawn on the eve of any exciting events: competitions, exams, performances. In this way, the body independently adjusts to a favorable result.

Restoring carbon dioxide balance

There is an opinion that during yawning the supply of oxygen in the blood is replenished, but experiments have shown that even with its deficiency, the frequency of the reflex in question does not increase.

Mood changes - there may be a feeling of cholera. or depression, irritability, anger, anger, etc. ~ Concentration disorders, difficulty formulating the mind. memory impairment. ~ increased sensitivity to light, smell, sound, touch, taste.

The aura is called various disorders, hallucinations. They are primarily visual, but they can also be olfactory. and others. The most common visual disturbances are: ~ flashes, zigzags, waves in the field of view - bright or dark spots, moving or stationary in the field of view. Partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes. ~ hallucinations, such as waving objects in reality. Blurred, blurry image.

Regulation of pressure in the middle ear

During a yawn, the Eustachian tubes and canals of the maxillary sinuses straighten, which relieves short-term ear congestion.

Awakening the body

Yawning in the morning gives you energy, helps saturate the blood with oxygen, helps you wake up, and improves blood circulation. The same factors provoke yawning when tired and fatigued.

Aroma disturbances: ~ the smell of cigarettes that do not contain cigarette smoke. no one smoked. Hearing disorders: noise, ringing in the ears, hearing sounds that actually exist. we have no music at the moment, car noise, conversation. Most often on the side of spinal paralysis, usually the claws covering the face and tongue or only. certain parts of the body - difficulty in formulating words and their pronunciation. ~ difficulty understanding what we are talking about. ~ Increased sensitivity to the sensation of touch. ~ hearing loss or complete loss. “locomotive” disorders, such as dropping objects, difficulty walking, immobility ~ impaired sense of time.

Keeping active

It has been noted more than once that the described reflex occurs when a person is bored. Prolonged muscular passivity and mental overload lead to people falling asleep. Yawning helps get rid of this sensation, since in the process the muscles of the neck, face, and mouth tense.

Regulation of brain temperature

Migraine aura occurs in approximately 20% of all migraines. The most common is migraine without aura - 70%. The rest are different forms, such as migraine without headache, migraine. abdominal and others. The bolt phase, as the name suggests, is when we start. feel the pain until it is eliminated. The pain is most often located in the head. In rare cases, the pin may not be in the abdominal cavity or, for example, in the ear and ear area. Again, the most common pain is in the head and precisely in the temple area, usually on one side.

Other types of pain may be: irritation of the eyes, on the tip of the head. in the vicinity of the occipital region, in the sinuses, on the sides or throughout the head. At this point the pain starts to get worse and finally stops. ~ pain in the head, neck, neck area ~ feeling like we have bruises on the head. depression, decreased concentration, mental "stupid" ~ reduced ability to feel ~ anxiety ~ or vice versa, flow of energy, joy of life, euphoria.

There is an assumption that when the body overheats, it is necessary to cool the brain tissue by enriching the blood with air. The process of yawning contributes to this mechanism.

Relaxation

The reflex in question is also universal, because in the morning it helps to cheer up and before bed - to relax. Yawning prepares a person for a restful sleep and relieves stress.

The postdromal phase, such as the prodromal phase, can last from several. from several hours to several days. Be careful at this stage because sometimes it goes too fast. Taking or increasing activity may cause a second headache.

As you can see from the above, migraines have many different symptoms. Some may recur in different phases. Not every migraineur experiences them all or like others. In each phase of a migraine there may be other symptoms that may occur. not mentioned here.

Is excessive narcolepsy experienced during the daytime? What are the symptoms and causes of narcolepsy? Sleeping on a date or chatting with your boss seems unlikely, but it is possible. The day after an unhappy or bad dream, each of us is faced with a dream. It's not easy for us to wake up and yawn early in the morning. But there are those who struggle with sleepiness throughout their lives. Although they get out of bed energized and rested, they cut off their naps. What causes drowsiness?

Why does a person yawn very often and a lot?

If this phenomenon occurs to you infrequently, perhaps you are simply overtired, exposed to stress and anxiety, and do not get enough sleep. But periodic repetition should cause concern and be a reason to visit a doctor.

This is why you always want to yawn:

vegetative-vascular dystonia;
hormonal imbalance;
multiple sclerosis;
pre-fainting states;
cerebrovascular accidents;
emotional burnout syndrome.

As you can see, the causes of frequent yawning are quite serious and this reflex may indicate a number of serious diseases. Therefore, if you notice a recurrence of this phenomenon, do not delay your visit to the therapist and be sure to undergo an examination.

Daytime sleepiness can be caused by insomnia, fatigue, too little sunlight during the November or December days, or low blood pressure. It is also a sign of a disease such as hypothyroidism. But we can control this drowsiness. We can take a nap during a boring meeting, lecture or movie, but not on a date, while discussing a new project or talking with the boss. And those who suffer from narcolepsy happen. If they have a moderate form of the disease, it goes unrecognized, and the environment is considered sleepy, indulgent, irresponsible people.

Why does a person yawn when someone else yawns?

Probably everyone has noticed how contagious yawning is. As a rule, if someone nearby yawns, those around them will sooner or later also succumb to this reflex.

In the course of interesting medical experiments and psychological studies, scientists have finally figured out why people yawn after each other. To do this, the subjects were connected to a special device that reflected the activity of various brain zones in the color spectrum. It turns out that during the described process, the area of the brain that is responsible for empathy and compassion is activated. Thus, we can conclude that a person who yawns when someone else yawns next to him is a subtle and vulnerable, responsive person. This statement is confirmed by the fact that people with autistic syndrome are not susceptible to this condition.

What are the causes of narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a neurological disease. It can affect us at every stage of life, but its symptoms most often appear in the second decade of life, which is when we are studying and starting a career. It is caused by a deficiency of hypocretin, a protein that plays an important role in regulating the daily sleep-wake cycle. Reduced production of this protein occurs due to damage to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain, which is likely due to an abnormal immune response.

Characteristic symptoms of narcolepsy

This depends on the extent of damage to the cells that produce hypocretin. The first, and sometimes the only symptom of narcolepsy is sleepiness during the day, but a special one. A person suffering from narcolepsy falls asleep in a very short time and, moreover, in situations where we are active. Can sleep in standby mode, during a conversation, on a bike, at a gala dinner. Drowsiness occurs approximately 1.5 hours after waking up and disappears after a short nap. Unfortunately, after a while he returns.

The other three symptoms of narcolepsy are less common: cataplexy, sleep hallucinations, sleep paralysis. In mild narcolepsy, only the facial muscles are thirsty. When severely damaged, the hypothalamus softens to the ground. Another symptom is sleep hallucinations. Immediately into the world are very realistic dream dreams, and that they are not completely dreamy, treat them like a dream. Sleeping hallucinations are unpleasant and disturbing.

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

Physiological causes of frequent yawning include:

fatigue or drowsiness;
changes related to sleep patterns: changes in work schedule, sleep deficiency, travel associated with crossing several time zones;
a disorder such as narcolepsy, which can lead to daytime sleepiness;
sleep apnea is a disorder that restricts breathing for short periods of time;
side effects from medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are used to treat depression and anxiety;
problems with the functioning of the vagus nerve, which can be caused by bleeding in or around the aorta, or in severe cases due to a heart attack.

In some cases, frequent or excessive yawning may be an indicator of:

Maybe he doesn't know about narcolepsy. It's the middle of the day and what you want most is to lie down in bed and sleep?

The last symptom is paralysis, which lasts a few, a few seconds, which occurs when falling asleep or waking up. Capalexia and sleep hallucinations are treated with antidepressants, and drowsiness is a stimulant that prevents snoring during the day. Thanks to them, patients remain active throughout the day. The milder form of narcolepsy is most often unrecognized and therefore untreated. Perhaps we should be more tolerant of people who fall asleep at their desks during the day, taking short naps during their lunch break or immediately after returning from work.

epilepsy;
stroke or brain tumor;
liver failure;
cardiovascular disease;
chronic venous insufficiency;
electrolyte imbalance;
an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis (leads to hypothyroidism and low thyroid hormone levels);
hypothyroidism;
multiple sclerosis.

Psychological and Emotional Causes of Excessive Yawning

Excessive yawning can be caused by emotional or psychological reasons. These include:

stress,
depression,
anxiety.

Serious and life-threatening causes of excessive yawning

What to do to control yawning

Here are some tips on what you can do to control yawning and avoid excessive yawning.

Get enough sleep

Try to control yawning like this:

inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth;
when you realize you're about to yawn, try drinking a cool or chilled drink (if you have one on hand);
Eat vegetables with high water content, such as cucumbers or watermelon, to avoid excessive yawning.
if you feel like yawning, go to a cool place or thoroughly ventilate the room to lower the temperature and add oxygen to the room;
If you have an important meeting ahead, during which you should never yawn, put a damp compress on your head for a few minutes before going to such a meeting. This measure will prevent yawning until you finish your negotiations.

How to Treat Excessive Yawning

If you have other medical conditions that cause frequent yawning, such as tumors, kidney failure, liver or heart problems, or stroke, you should consult your doctor immediately.

When to see a doctor if you yawn frequently

It makes sense to consult a doctor with a complaint of frequent yawning if:

there is no explanation why you yawn often,
your frequent yawning is associated with daytime sleepiness.

Why do people often feel sleepy during the day? The reasons why and how you often yawn yourself and unwittingly make others yawn are discussed in this article. And also the secrets of how you can get rid of this scourge yourself.

When daytime drowsiness and yawning are a one-time result of lack of sleep, then in this case everything is simple: as soon as a person has a good rest in the “embrace of Morpheus”, he is alert again. What if these symptoms become constant companions?

The modern rhythm of life requires a colossal amount of energy, time and effort to keep up with it. Therefore, people often sacrifice the basic needs of the body, trying to fit into their schedule. One of them is sleep. Experiencing drowsiness during the day, the causes of which often lie in chronic lack of sleep, jet lag or diseases that provoke the appearance of this symptom, a person feels tired, overwhelmed, and his attention becomes distracted. The inability to concentrate immediately affects your studies or work, interfering with the successful conduct of business. The uncontrollable desire to yawn causes a response from those around them, and now the entire team, due to the conditioned reflex of everyone, is busy with involuntary acts of deep breathing. By opening their mouths wide, people involuntarily increase the volume of air in the mouth and throat. Then they exhale loudly. Yawning blocks the auditory tubes, due to which hearing decreases for a short time, but the human brain is saturated with oxygen, and the lungs actively get rid of accumulated carbon dioxide.

Not only adults and even the fetus in the womb yawn, but also fish, birds, animals and amphibians! Representatives of the fauna do this when hungry or want to sleep. What are the reasons for daytime sleepiness in representatives of the human race?

Yawning is directly related to brain functioning. Lack of oxygen or its “overheating” leads to a physiological need to saturate the organ with a vital substance or cool it down as much as possible. When a person is tired, the temperature of the brain rises (the expression “boiling brain” is known) and the person needs rest and recuperation, so he begins to yawn. Being in a stuffy, poorly ventilated room, most people also feel the urge to yawn, since the brain needs oxygen to function properly.

When yawning, the alveoli of the lungs expand, increasing their volume. A long, deep breath and a sharp exhalation allows oxygen to quickly enter the brain cells. A strong yawn often provokes a person’s desire to stretch his whole body. With this action, local stagnation of blood is eliminated and its flow is released. Yawning involves almost all body systems: muscular, vascular, nervous, skeletal and respiratory. The muscles of the face, mouth, larynx and neck tighten and increase the speed of blood flow in the vascular system of the head. Brain cells, due to increased blood flow, receive the greatest amount of nutrients and oxygen, and waste metabolic products, including carbon dioxide, are actively removed from them.

What else could a loss of strength signal? The reasons for this condition lie in uninteresting, boring activities or work. Yawning at this time allows a person to wake up and become more alert by satisfying the brain's oxygen needs. A man helps himself to wake up by yawning! Somnologists recommend not restraining yourself while yawning, since this reflex helps not only to renew the air in the “furs” of the human body, but also to relieve fatigue, stress, and mental stress. It is known that many pilots begin to yawn before an important mission, athletes before competitions, and students before exams. Thus, during these exciting events, people relieve tension. During yawning, the airways open wide and are cleared, the muscles receive long-awaited relaxation, blood circulation is activated, the mind becomes clearer, the human body and brain cells are supplied with vital energy, even the tear glands (especially at the computer!) help moisturize dry eyes. The muscles of the upper body: neck, face, temples, back of the head, shoulders, diaphragm and abdomen experience pleasant relaxation. After yawning, your mood noticeably rises and a surge of strength sets in.

When asked why you yawn often, many people, at best, answer that they didn’t sleep well at night. But in fact, the reason lies in something completely different. How to avoid daytime sleepiness? If a person does not suffer from problems with the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus or frequent depression, then somnologists advise him to take a closer look at his daily routine and lifestyle. Night sleep should last 7-9 hours; rarely can anyone reduce their number to four without harm to their health, and even then, they often “get” them in the afternoon. If a person is used to going to bed after 12 o'clock at night, then he should gradually switch to falling asleep earlier, going to bed a quarter of an hour earlier every day. You should not take a nap in the evening, as this does not affect daytime sleepiness, but night sleep will be disturbed. You should not allow unnecessary items to appear in the bed: documents, laptops, video games and other work and entertainment gadgets. A cozy bed should serve for relaxation, lovemaking and restful sleep.

Everyone knows about a clear sleep schedule - this is the key to good rest! Even meals should be balanced and complete, occurring at a certain time every time, but no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime. Moderate sports activity has a positive effect not only on mood, but also on the quality of sleep. But you need to exercise no later than 3 hours before going to bed, so as not to suffer from insomnia. The daily routine needs to be adjusted so as not to infringe on your right to proper sleep. Having a good rest, you can cope with any heap of tasks much faster, and excessive stress can only lead to exhaustion of the nervous system.

Daytime sleepiness and chronic fatigue are different categories. When your strength is exhausted, you definitely need to rest, and the more severe the condition, the longer and better the rest should be. If you are trying to fall asleep deeply, you should not drink alcohol at night. According to research by somnologists, alcohol adversely affects the phase of so-called deep sleep, when all body systems are restored. When intoxication wears off and the effect of alcohol stops, the person instantly wakes up, regardless of what stage the subject was at. In this case, sleep is disturbed and proper rest is absent.

Other causes of daytime sleepiness are circumstantial. For example, in rainy weather with low atmospheric pressure, the amount of oxygen decreases and all people tend to sleep. When you get motion sickness in transport, and even with the hot sun, when most of those around you are immersed in the “embraces of Morpheus,” it is difficult to resist the appearance of drowsiness. Spring vitamin deficiency, taking antidepressants, strict diets and stuffy rooms often provoke the desire to fall asleep. Long-distance flights with changes in time zones cause disruptions in human biorhythms and the body responds with increased drowsiness.

The quantity and quality of sleep determines a person’s overall health. By adjusting your lifestyle, you can get rid of daytime sleepiness, and even experienced specialists advise yawning to stay alert and active during the day!

Each of us has personal experience with yawning. 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 the 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

First of all, you need to understand what yawning actually is. Many people believe that they can control this process. In fact, this is a reflex breathing act, which is characterized by a 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 yawning. The luminaries of medical science from many countries shared their opinions 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 there are still certain assumptions. We will talk about them in detail below.

When do people yawn and why is it necessary?

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 tissue. It is reliably known that during a deep breath, a greatly increased volume of oxygen enters the bloodstream, unlike normal breathing. In addition, during a yawn, the respiratory passages open wide: the pharynx, glottis, and the volume of the nasopharynx and pharynx increases. As you know, when the body is saturated with oxygen, blood flow and metabolism accelerate. This, in turn, leads to an improvement in a person’s well-being and tone. Therefore, in various situations, when the oxygen balance is disturbed, stagnation of blood flow occurs, a person experiences yawning. So, after sleep or long monotonous work, a person yawns. This breathing act helps to cheer up and tone the body.
Another version of the cause of yawning is the body’s need 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 yawn often during a flight? This is how the body regulates pressure in the middle ear. This happens due to the fact that the canals that connect the pharynx and the Eustachian tubes straighten.
Yawning is also necessary to relieve muscle tightness. Often the act of breathing is accompanied by stretching of the body. This way the body is invigorated and tuned to productive activity. The fair sex will be interested to know the fact that during yawning, facial muscles are massaged, tightening them and improving skin turgor.
Why does a person yawn often? 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 reflexive breathing act has the ability to calm and relax the body. This is why people yawn before going to bed or during an exciting event, such as 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 using ultrasound in the fetus at 11-12 weeks of pregnancy. But, if yawning often helps an adult to cheer up, then such a process is extremely calming for a child and becomes a harbinger of sleep.

If parents notice that the baby yawns too often, they 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 may 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 the sake of spiritual peace, when suddenly you begin to yawn. 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 or health status of the parishioner. It is not difficult to explain this phenomenon, knowing the mechanism of yawning. In church, there are several reasons why such a breathing process occurs simultaneously: 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 an involuntary reflex act.

Why do people yawn while talking?

Are you talking to a person and suddenly he starts yawning? Do not rush to blame your interlocutor for ingratitude and indifference, and yourself for the lack of oratory abilities and emotionality. The situation is exactly the opposite. Yawning overcame the listener precisely because of increased brain activity. The opponent listened carefully to your story, so his oxygen metabolism was disrupted, and in order to replenish his 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, we can explain why a person yawns when talking - overexertion helps reduce the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, and yawning, as a protective mechanism, replenishes spent energy.

Is yawning contagious?

It has been noticed that yawning is “contagious” - as soon as one person yawns, those around them also begin to reflexively repeat it. Why do people yawn even when they just watch a video of a person yawning or read an article about yawning? The answer lies in the cerebral cortex. Are you yawning now? This is how your mirror neurons work, which are located in the cerebral cortex. They are responsible for empathy and are the cause of contagious yawning on an emotional level. It has been noted that categories of people who have less developed parts of the brain responsible for feelings are not prone to contagious yawning. Such people include children under 5 years of age (although there are exceptions), autistic people and those suffering from schizophrenia.

Signs and superstitions

People have the following beliefs about yawning:

Cover your mouth with your hand while yawning so that the devil does not enter your soul.
Residents of Turkey believe that if you do not have time to cover your mouth while yawning, the soul may fly out of a person.
Indians believe that yawning is a call of death or the devil and that in order to scare away the evil one, you need to snap your fingers.
In our open spaces, folk healers claim that in the process of yawning the evil eye comes out. And if a person yawns while talking to 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 yet, organize a walk in the fresh air.

Frequent yawning may indicate fatigue. Set aside time for rest and proper sleep, alternate active activity with breaks for relaxation. We have found out why a person yawns, but how to deal with such a process when it 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 reflexive act and, as they say, not lose face in front of others? There are some effective 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 will help minimize the possibility of yawning throughout the day.
Don't forget about proper rest and sleep.
While working at the computer, sit upright - this way the diaphragm is not compressed, and air saturated with oxygen is supplied in the required volume.
Learn proper deep breathing.
A cold drink or food will eliminate yawning.
An express method for suppressing the reflex - as soon as you feel the urge to yawn, lick your lips.
Taking a deep breath through your nose and exhaling briefly through your mouth also helps suppress a yawn.

So, we found out why a person yawns. It turns out that such a simple process has important functions in the functioning of the whole organism. Therefore, you should not take it lightly. If you yawn for a long time and frequently, be sure to undergo a heart and blood vessel examination under the supervision of a doctor.

Many people consider yawning to be a completely harmless and even useful reflex: when a person yawns, his muscles relax and his brain is saturated with oxygen. Experts warn that frequent yawning for no reason can be a symptom of dangerous diseases. How to distinguish harmless drowsiness from malaise and understand that it’s time to see a doctor?

Why do we yawn?

A person yawns for several reasons. This can be a psychological “chain” reaction, fatigue, lack of oxygen, emotional and physical stress. Most often you want to yawn when you “cannot breathe”: as a rule, in such cases a person has been in a stuffy room for a long time. By yawning, a person saturates the brain with oxygen, ventilates it and helps it work better. “Please note: as soon as you yawn sweetly, you will soon come up with a solution to the problem that has been occupying you since the morning, or you will have an idea that will bring success,” notes therapist Alexander Zubarev. “This happens because the brain, as a result of a deep breath, received a larger portion of oxygen and began to work more actively.”

Often a person begins to yawn when he is nervous before some important event. During times of stress, people reflexively hold their breath without even noticing it. The level of oxygen in the blood drops, and the body “forces” the person to yawn and provide air flow.

True, yawning has not only positive sides. Sometimes frequent yawning for no apparent reason can indicate that a person has serious diseases - from hormonal disorders in the body to diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Is yawning harmful?

If the room is ventilated, and you slept well at night, but still do not stop yawning, it would be a good idea for you to check with a doctor. Regular yawning can be a sign of serious illnesses, such as diabetes. The fact is that with this disease, glucose does not enter the body's cells and does not produce energy. At the same time, the patient feels terrible fatigue, he constantly wants to sleep - hence the frequent yawning.

Drowsiness in combination with yawning can be a symptom of another dangerous disease - obstructive sleep apnea, or prolonged breath-holding during sleep. Snorers are usually at risk. Sometimes, while snoring, a person suddenly stops breathing, and then - after a few seconds - starts again. Such breath holdings can last up to a minute. Some people do not attach much importance to this, but in fact, apnea causes significant harm to the body. While a person does not breathe, oxygen does not enter inside, and all organs begin to work worse. During the day, the body strives to compensate for the lack of oxygen, and the person yawns incessantly.

How do you know when it's time to see a doctor?

Yawning also occurs with low blood pressure. “A sharp decrease in pressure is a symptom of serious pathologies,” warns the therapist. “This could also be an aortic aneurysm, a very dangerous disease that is practically asymptomatic and is fraught with negative consequences.” Also, repeated yawning may indicate multiple sclerosis, a disease that damages the nervous system.

The doctor reminds: yawning itself cannot be an independent sign of the disease. Any disease manifests itself with several symptoms. So, with multiple sclerosis, in addition to yawning, there is a lack of coordination of movement, visual disturbances, and muscle weakness.

“Frequent yawning, combined with other symptoms, can be signs of emotional stress or depression, as well as hormonal disorders or poor circulation and other diseases,” says Zubarev. - If you yawn frequently and experience other types of discomfort, consult a doctor. Yawning from fatigue only indicates that you need to get better sleep! Often a person yawns simply because his neighbor yawns, such a “chain reaction” is known to everyone. There are many different opinions about its nature, but we can absolutely say that it does not cause any harm. So, if your colleague or friend is yawning sweetly, don’t hesitate to join him in the company: give your brain a dose of oxygen!”

Why does a person yawn often? Causes of frequent yawning in humans

Why do people yawn?

Benefits of Yawning

Yawning as a sign of illness

The mirror property of yawning

Yawning as a manifestation of emotional intimacy

Yawning as a way of communication

Ways to combat yawning

Popular questions about yawning:

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

Psychological and Emotional Causes of Excessive Yawning

Serious and life-threatening causes of excessive yawning

What to do to control yawning

Get enough sleep

How to Treat Excessive Yawning

When to see a doctor if you yawn frequently

Frequent yawning during the day

If you yawn frequently, you should consult a doctor. When?

Why do you want to yawn?

Why does a person yawn very often and a lot?

Why does a person yawn when someone else yawns?

What are the causes of narcolepsy?

Characteristic symptoms of narcolepsy

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

Psychological and Emotional Causes of Excessive Yawning

Serious and life-threatening causes of excessive yawning

What to do to control yawning

Get enough sleep

How to Treat Excessive Yawning

When to see a doctor if you yawn frequently

What is yawning

When do people yawn and why is it necessary?

Why do children yawn?

Why do people yawn in church?

Why do people yawn while talking?

Is yawning contagious?

Signs and superstitions

When yawning becomes a dangerous symptom

Why do we yawn?

Is yawning harmful?

How do you know when it's time to see a doctor?