AWWWWWWWWWW, *YAWNS* Why exactly do we, people yawn? There are many theories about why people yawn. One shows 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. Thus, through yawning, it helps bring more oxygen into the blood and move carbon dioxide out of the bloodstream.

Yawning is something that we cannot take control of as it has to help us control our oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. However, other studies have shown that breathing more oxygen does not decrease yawning. Likewise, breathing more carbon dioxide does not increase yawning.

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 that helps keep lungs lubricated inside and keeps them from collapsing.
From this article, I learnt many theories about why people yawn and most importantly, it changed my point of view towards these irritating yawns. If I don’t yawn, I would not be able to survive till today as yawning helps me to get back the loss of oxygen. From this article, I can finally understand why yawning is contagious. When one recovers their loss of oxygen, the amount of oxygen found in the surrounding decreases. Therefore, another has to yawn to recover the oxygen level in their body. And this cycle goes on and on.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/yawn.html
Quek Jian Ler [32]  ¶ 1:05 PM