Yawning is a universal behaviour. It happens not only to people but to most animals. Is there any purpose of yawning? Why do we yawn? Despite its widespread occurrence, the exact causes and mechanisms of yawning are not well understood but here are some examples when yawning can happen.
Boredom or Fatigue
One of the most common reasons we yawn is boredom or fatigue. Yawning is the body’s way of indicating that it needs more oxygen, which is essential for staying awake and alert. When we are feeling tired or bored, we tend to breathe shallowly, and yawning helps us to take in more oxygen and stimulate the brain.
Lack of Sleep
Another reason why people yawn is lack of sleep. Sleep is vital for our physical and mental well-being and when we don’t get enough of it, our body reacts by yawning. This is the body’s way of trying to signal that it needs rest and recuperation.
Too Much Sugar
Eating too much sugar can also make people feel tired and result in yawning. Sugar provides a quick burst of energy, but it also crashes quickly, leaving us feeling drained and fatigued. This can lead to yawning as the body tries to stimulate itself and increase oxygen flow.
Biology of Yawning, why do we yawn
Yawning is a reflexive behaviour that involves the simultaneous inhalation of air and stretching of the jaw muscles. It has been suggested that yawning serves to increase oxygenation of the blood and regulate brain temperature, as well as to promote arousal and attention. However, yawning is observed even in fish and unborn babies so saying that they yawn to oxygenate doesn’t make much sense.
Recent studies have revealed that yawning is controlled by a complex network of brain regions, including the hypothalamus, brainstem, and cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus is thought to play a key role in regulating the frequency and intensity of yawning, as well as its timing and duration. The brainstem is responsible for the motor components of yawning, including the inhalation of air and the stretching of the jaw muscles. The cerebral cortex is involved in the sensory and cognitive aspects of yawning, such as perception and initiation of the reflex.
Genetics of Yawning
There is growing evidence that genetics plays a role in the regulation of yawning. A number of genetic variations have been identified that are associated with differences in yawning frequency and susceptibility. For example, variations in the hypocretin (orexin) gene have been linked to differences in sleep regulation and yawning frequency.
Social Contagion of Yawning
One of the most intriguing aspects of yawning is its social contagion, where the sight or sound of another person yawning can trigger the same behaviour in others. This phenomenon has been observed in humans and many species of animals, including dogs, cats, guinea pigs and primates.
The exact mechanisms behind social contagion of yawning are not well understood, but it is thought to involve complex neural processes in the mirror neuron system. Mirror neurons are a class of brain cells that are activated both when we perform a certain action and when we observe others performing the same action. It is thought that these neurons may play a role in the social contagion of yawning by inducing a similar response in the observer as that experienced by the yawner.
Yawning in Animals
Yawning is not just limited to humans, but it’s also observed in animals such as dogs, cats, primates, and even birds. In animals, yawning is often a sign of drowsiness or boredom and serves a similar function as it does in humans, by increasing oxygen flow to the brain.
Top 10 animals that yawn the most
 | 1. human |  | 6. gibbon |
 | 2. african elephant |  | 7. gorilla |
 | 3. chimpanzee |  | 8. horse |
 | 4. camel |  | 9. lion |
 | 5. walrus |  | 10. white-fronted capuchin |
