16
Has Yawning Been Solved?
Yawning, the human function that has mystified us for centuries, may have met its match: Evidence is mounting that the purpose of a yawn is to cool the brain. (For instance, people with icepacks on their heads don't yawn at yawning videos as much people without them. Also, ha.) Yawn y'own, yawning.
Trying so hard to resist yawning now…failed.
@WaityKatie Obviously, this article is making everyone's brain overheaAWWWN excuse me!
You mean it's not the spirit of one of Satan's minions trying to be absorbed into my body in order to possess me? Well, I feel a right fool for covering my mouth all these years. My poor, hot brain.
@HydrogenJukebox bless you, my child.
@HydrogenJukebox I thought the Prince of Evil got his chance when you sneezed, which is why all good people must quickly bless anyone who is unlucky enough to do so. Perhaps this Lucifer fellow is craftier than I imagined.
@ormaisonogrande: You see, sneezing is when you expel any imps that may have wended their way into you; the blessing is so they don't go back in. Have you not been keeping a tally to make sure that your yawns and sneezes are even?!
Interesting! I specifically remember that, when I first joined choir in 7th grade, I yawned constantly while singing. Maybe that was because I wasn't breathing properly, as it only happened during the first few practices.
Do people with hair yawn more than bald people?
Dammit, every time I refresh the page I yawn.
I don't know. I sometimes get yawning fits when I'm cold. Why would my brain need to cool off when I'm shivering?
Maybe yawning serves lots of functions, one of which is cooling off the brain?
@ormaisonogrande I get this too! I always yawn when I'm cold. Also when I'm nervous. And when someone else yawns. When I type the word "yawn." Actually I'm pretty hard-pressed to come up with a situation in which I will not be yawning. Yawn.
I've found no evidence that it can cool the train.
More super freaky yawning facts: yawning is not "contagious" until about the age of 5. Prove it with your favorite toddler today!
@KatnotCat Yet more freaky yawning facts; yawning appears to be contagious cross-species. When I yawn, my cat does. Weirdness.
My parents and I used to Skype weekly when I lived in Hawai'i (and they in Ye Olde Connecticute), and once my mom yawning made me yawn. We had to do that whole, "Haha, it's contagious, even 5000 miles away!" thing, but really I was kind of creeped out (how does that work?)
My yawn count from this article: 2. It just feels so satisfying! Make that three.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, the picture.