You just can’t stop yawning.
Laughter isn’t the only contagious thing. Researchers reveal that yawning is too, and one errant yawn is likely to generate a series of yawns within a group of people. But the real reason why yawning, bizarre as it is, even occurs is still a mystery within the scientific community. Many studies have delved into why we have this reflex and what purpose it serves, but there have been no definitive answers, only acceptable theories as to why people yawn.
One prominent theory is that yawning allows cool air in and helps the brain regulate its temperature, a feature aptly called thermoregulation. Another suggests that it is the body’s way of waking itself up by stretching the lungs, flexing muscles and joints as well as forcing blood to the head in order to increase alertness. Whatever the reason, yawning is something our body does that we have no control over. And while the act itself may look bizarre on the outside, it’s actually a helpful bodily response from the inside.
