what is the scientific reason that people yawn?

Answer 1

Everybody yawns — from unborn babies to the oldest great-grandparent. Animals do it, too. But why, exactly, do people and animals yawn? No one knows for sure. But there are many theories (ideas) about why people yawn.

One is that when we are bored or tired, we just don't breathe as deeply as we usually do. As this theory goes, our bodies take in less oxygen because our breathing has slowed. Therefore, yawning helps us bring more oxygen into the blood and move more carbon dioxide out of the blood.

Yawning, then, would be an involuntary reflex (something we can't really control) to help us control our oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Sounds good, but other studies have shown that breathing more oxygen does not decrease yawning. Likewise, breathing more carbon dioxide does not increase yawning. Hmmm. Now what?

Another theory is that yawning stretches the lungs and lung tissue. Stretching and yawning may be a way to flex muscles and joints, increase heart rate, and feel more awake.

Other people believe that yawning is a protective reflex to redistribute the oil-like substance called surfactant (say: sur-fak-tunt) that helps keep lungs lubricated inside and keeps them from collapsing. So, if we didn't yawn, according to this theory, taking a deep breath would become harder and harder — and that would not be good!

But there is one idea about yawning that everyone knows to be true. It seems contagious. If you yawn in class, you'll probably notice a few other people will start yawning, too. Even thinking about yawning can get you yawning. How many times have you yawned while reading this article? We hope not many!

Answer 2

I read in a book once that yawning is a reaction our bodies do when we are tired to simply wake ourselves up but that there is no scientific reason for it. It also said that it is contagious because when humans went to battle if someone in the line was tired they would yawn. The people around them would also yawn: therefore the yawn would travel down the line and let everyone know that someone in the group was tired.

Answer 3

No, the character of yawning remains to be ordinarilly unexplored scientifically. It is understood that yawning itself is associated with elevating the extent of fed on oxygen in a solution to stimulate the paintings of your organism. Yawning is in most cases induced by way of a difference in recreation - like waking up or going to sleep. Nevertheless there is no clinical reason for yawning being contagious.

Answer 4

Most people yawn when they are sleepy. And another theory of why people yawn is because when a person is sleepy, less oxygen is getting to the brain. So yawning is a way your body keeps itself awake by involuntarily giving your body more oxygen.

Answer 5

its really just because we arent getting enough oxygen