Healthcare professionals and researchers have observed human fetuses yawning as early as 11 weeks after conception. Many researchers regard the desire to yawn as a primal human instinct. Experts are not entirely sure why humans yawn, but one common explanation is that yawning stretches and lubricates the lungs. Yawning also increases a person's heart rate.
More about yawning:
- One study showed that people yawn more often during the colder winter months than they do during the summer. The researchers speculated that yawning might be a way for people to cool their brains — something that yawning in high temperatures would not accomplish, because the air that is breathed in would be warmer.
- Yawning can be contagious, but some research shows that it is less so in children who are less than 6 years old.
- In 2005, a US judge fined a juror for contempt of court after the juror yawned loudly in the courtroom.
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Discussion Comments
Yawning relieves boredom, is a sign of tiredness, hunger, discharge of unwanted element in the body. It stimulates the eyes to discharge some human tears (fluid) from the eyes. It is also infectious. If someone yawns very close to you, or you see someone yawning, you are likely also to yawn.
It is simpler for someone who is fatigue or stressed to yawn than someone who is just out of bed after a long rest. It is advisable for whoever yawns to close his mouth. --Shehu M.
The Chinese believe that yawning balances the yin-yang of our bodies, discharging excess yang. Excess yin is discharged by sneezing. I'm probably oversimplifying this, but my goal is to "discharge" the idea that yawning is about boredom.
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