Yawning is often a sign of sleepiness, can relieve pressure in the ears and help the brain cool down.
Humans start yawning while still in the womb. When we are born, we tend to yawn about 25 times a day, and the frequency decreases with age. Many people yawn when they are tired and wake up after a night's sleep. Here are the reasons why this happens.
Respiration
Yawning is a reflex that involves taking a deep breath, opening the jaw wide, and then quickly exhaling. This action increases lung capacity and improves blood flow to the heart, which benefits breathing. Researchers believe that yawning may reposition muscles to widen the airways, increasing oxygen levels in organs and tissues.
Reduce pressure in the ear
When we yawn, we inhale a large amount of air into our lungs, which causes the eustachian tubes in our ears to open. These tubes are responsible for equalizing the pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment. Opening the eustachian tubes when yawning can relieve pressure buildup in the middle ear, thereby improving hearing. This action can also remove excess earwax or debris, preventing blockage of the ear canal.
Yawning is often a sign of sleepiness. Photo: Freepik
Relax your brain
The act of yawning forces the muscles in the face and neck to move. This movement can stimulate the carotid artery, leading to an increase in heart rate and the release of hormones that promote alertness. Thus, yawning is triggered to help maintain a state of alertness.
Lower the temperature
When you yawn, your facial muscles move and contract, increasing blood flow to your face, where heat can be more easily dissipated. Yawning can also release heat by causing tears. Scientists at the University of Vienna (Austria) found that yawning usually occurs at temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, the ideal temperature for cooling the blood and brain.
Yawning is usually harmless, but too much can be a sign of stress, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or medical conditions such as heart attack, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, etc. According to Cleveland Clinic , people who yawn with sudden numbness and weakness in the face, arms or legs need to go to the hospital soon because it can be a sign of a stroke.
Huyen My (According to Medical News Today, Verywell Health )
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