Most of us are familiar with such a funny phenomenon as yawning. Basically, this is an involuntary reaction of the body to fatigue, overwork, boredom. Yawning is an absolutely normal process that our body needs. A person is able to yawn already at 11-12 weeks of fetal development. But sometimes frequent yawning may not be as harmless as it seems at first glance. In some cases, the causes of yawning can lie in serious diseases. In this article, we will tell you what frequent yawning means in a person, in which cases the process is really harmless, and in which it may indicate health problems.

Why do people often yawn

Yawning is a breathing act consisting of a slow, strong inhalation and a sharp exhalation. Before we yawn, we collect a rather large volume of air into the lungs, thereby saturating the body with the necessary amount of oxygen. Taking a deep breath, we improve the nutrition of internal organs and tissues, supply the bloodstream with a larger volume of oxygen than during normal calm breathing.

A person begins to yawn - blood flow increases, metabolism accelerates, the body comes into tone. People begin to yawn when oxygen balance is disturbed, frequent yawning helps to become more energetic, think better and spend time more actively. Such yawning is typical after a long rest or monotonous processes. Sometimes a person yawns even in a dream, if there is not enough oxygen in the room where he sleeps. Yawning occurs when alternating REM and non-REM sleep.

There is an opinion that among ancient people yawning was a way of communication, a signal to action. When danger was detected, one member of the tribe would yawn, mirroring this state to the rest of the members and causing them to collectively yawn to prepare their bodies for physical activity. At the same time, the leader of the group was yawning to give the "subordinates" the command to go to sleep.

Thus, yawning is an important process in the human body, which has been embedded in us since antiquity, a person sometimes yawns deeply and very often even when talking with another and if he is overexcited. And the desire to yawn sweetly, arising from overwork, lack of sleep, during a telephone conversation, should not be alarming. But the resulting frequent yawning causes are not always harmless. Causes of a yawning attack can be physiological, psychological and emotional.

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

This type of reasons include banal fatigue and lack of sleep, a change in sleep and wakefulness, a long journey when time zones change, as well as hyperventilation syndrome. A person yawns when he simply wants to sleep. A more "original" physiological cause may lie in a sleep disorder called narcolepsy. Some medications include side effects frequent yawning. Various diseases are also among the causes of excessive yawning. Lack of air is not always the cause of this phenomenon. Frequent yawning is a sign of what disease, we will give an answer to this question a little lower.

Psycho-emotional reasons

Very frequent yawning can often be a symptom of a mental disorder. With anxiety, anxiety, attacks of fear, a person often yawns because he needs increased ventilation of the lungs. There is a feeling of lack of air for normal breathing, the body sends a call to action to the brain to receive an increased dose of oxygen. Thus, frequent yawning and feeling short of breath are sometimes associated.

This includes the mirror property of yawning. Surely, almost everyone has experienced the process of “infection” with yawning. A person sees a yawner in real life, in a photo or on a screen, and a "chain" reaction begins. Therefore, do not be surprised if, while reading this article, you unwittingly yawned several times. An interesting fact is that not all people are subject to a mirror reaction to yawning, some manage to “resist”.

Causes of frequent yawning in humans, rooted in diseases

So what is the cause of frequent yawning? A number of diseases can have prolonged yawning as their symptom.

Regularly repeated prolonged yawning can be caused by dangerous disorders occurring in the body. Sometimes, frequent yawning is a sign of serious diseases, such as:

• epilepsy
• autoimmune diseases
• hypothyroidism
• multiple sclerosis
• depression
• Chronical bronchitis
• vegetative-vascular dystonia.

It is VVD that can be the cause of frequent yawning caused by lack of air. If shortness of breath and frequent yawning are accompanied by a feeling of constriction in chest, anxiety, dry cough and sore throat, fear of stuffy and cramped rooms and other phobias, panic attacks etc., there is a high probability of developing vegetative-vascular dystonia. Frequent and deep yawning can be accompanied by pain in the heart. It is necessary to consult a specialist for clarification of the diagnosis and methods of treatment.

If the cause of frequent yawning in adults lies in the VVD, you need to learn to be less nervous, adjust your sleep pattern, and eat healthy food with the necessary vitamins and minerals. It will be useful to make special ones.

Sometimes when a person yawns, there is not enough air, his lungs do not fully open. An incomplete breath when yawning is a phenomenon characteristic of adolescents and is considered normal. If this type of yawning occurs in an adult, the lungs should be checked. In women, frequent yawning with incomplete opening of the lungs can be a symptom of breast cancer, so you should undergo a fluorography and visit a mammologist. A careless attitude to a seemingly insignificant symptom can lead to sad consequences.

Frequent yawning in children: causes

There is also such a phenomenon as frequent yawning in a child. Young children are not able to empathize with emotions, so “mirror” yawning is not characteristic of them. It is also unusual for autistic people to yawn. And if an adult does not yawn in response, then most likely he has problems with the ability to empathize.

What does frequent yawning in children mean? Probably, the baby has disorders in the work of the central nervous system. A child, like an adult, can experience nervous strain, stress, and anxiety. In this case, it is best to take the child to an appointment with a neurologist.

In children, sometimes frequent yawning is a sign of lack of oxygen. It is necessary to spend as much time as possible with the child in the air, to review his diet, to establish a sleep and rest regimen.

This is one of the ancient reflexes, it is inherent in people, animals, even reptiles. We make our first yawn already at the 12th week of intrauterine development.

The brain needs oxygen to function properly. When it is deficient, the body strives to make up for its lack. The brain sends a signal and we ze-va-em. That is, we take a deep, lingering breath through a wide-open mouth, followed by an energetic exhalation. Often, this is accompanied by a characteristic sound and sipping.

Why does a person yawn

Causes:

• Because stuffy. The brain does not have enough oxygen, it tries to get it through yawning.
• Yawning attacks not from idleness, but from tension of the brain. This is a reaction to overwork and stress. When tired, he, defending himself, slows down his activity. Yawning is an excuse to take a break.
• A recent discovery by American scientists: yawning signals that the brain is overheated.
• They usually yawn in the morning, because the head is in a state of inhibition after waking up. The need to cheer up, to wake up makes us stretch and yawn.
• Late in the evening, when we usually sleep, the brain is forced to give signals for yawning in order to bring itself into working condition.
• With strong emotional stress. Before a decisive moment or danger, a person freezes, holding his breath, to prepare for a crucial moment: an exam, a speech. Here, an ancient reflex is turned on in order to saturate the blood with oxygen with a deep breath, to maintain the body in a state of first readiness before a crucial event.

Yawning is good for health

Thanks to a yawn

• Accelerates the metabolism
• lungs are ventilated, oxygen starvation is eliminated,
• improves blood supply to the brain,
• the working capacity of the whole organism is restored.
• During a yawn, the muscles of the jaw tense up, and people involuntarily stretch, giving a load to the muscles, eliminating congestion, invigorating the whole body.
• Yawning is useful during airplane flights, it helps when the ears are blocked due to the difference in pressure on the eardrum. After yawning, pressure on the eardrum from both the middle ear and the outer ear ear canal become the same. Therefore, when the ear is blocked, one must artificially induce yawning in oneself. As soon as you start stretching, you will immediately yawn.
• An ancient reflex helps relieve fatigue, stress, improves mood.

contagious yawn

It is worth one yawn, it is picked up by others. Scientists have found that subtle natures, endowed with a sense of empathy, are more likely to become infected with yawning. Not subject to this, people with a tougher character. By the way, children under 5 years old do not yawn for the company, because they are selfish, do not know how to empathize - they have yet to learn this. Another assumption, already Italian scientists, we yawn after pleasant, nice people. Watch the video below. Dogs get infected by yawning even more easily than humans. It is worth doing this to the owner, the dog immediately becomes infected with it. They do not react to the yawns of strangers. Here is such a deep contact with the owner.

Yawning is an absolutely normal physiological phenomenon of the body of any person. It usually appears when tired, before going to bed or after waking up early, and a very common cause of yawning is a lack of interest in what is happening. But these factors do not exhaust all the reasons for its occurrence.

What is a yawn?

Before understanding which external and internal causes cause frequent yawning, you should understand the mechanism and features of this process. It is an uncontrolled reflex, which is a prolonged breathing act.

Yawning involves a slow, deep breath that ends with a quick and resounding exhalation. In the process of yawning, a person draws a large volume of air into the lungs, which allows saturating the body with a significant amount of oxygen, improving tissue nutrition and internal organs.

In the process of yawning, the work of all internal systems improves - cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, circulatory, as well as brain activity. This leads to compensation for the lack of oxygen and activation of the functioning of the body. It is these factors that cause yawning in the morning.

Every person on the planet has a yawn, the causes of which are manifold. But among them all, the largest two groups can be distinguished:

• Physiological;
• Non-physiological.

Physiological causes of frequent yawning

Yawning is beneficial because it allows you to activate metabolic processes, improve ear pressure, supply organs and tissues with oxygen, but constant yawning may indicate different states of the body. That is why it is important to pay close attention to this symptom.

Let's deal with the main physiological causes of increased yawning. Among them it is worth highlighting the following:

1. lack of oxygen;
2. The need to cool the brain;
3. Decreased body activity;
4. Psycho-emotional stress of the body;
5. Lack of rest, chronic fatigue;
6. "Chain reaction".

One of the main causes of yawning is a lack of oxygen, which is usually observed in a person who has been in a stuffy room for a long time. The brain starts the process, which, in the absence of oxygen, seeks to replenish it through deep breathing - yawning.

As American researchers have established, yawning very often appears when the brain overheats, which is due to an increase in ambient temperature and leads to a decrease in its activity. Yawning is a physiological mechanism that promotes its ventilation.

The third physiological reason for yawning is a decrease in body activity. The process of wakefulness of any person is accompanied by phases of inhibition and activity, therefore, in order to resume the working capacity of the brain, normalize the heart rhythm and metabolic processes, the yawning mechanism is launched.

Another group of reasons for yawning are emotional stress and fatigue. Frequent yawning can occur with lack of sleep or vigorous activity at night, which is laid down by nature as a period for rest.

Frequent yawning can also be caused by " chain reaction". If one person yawns in a large group, then this reaction passes to others. However, the reasons for this phenomenon have not been found.

Diseases in which there is a constant yawning

Despite the fact that yawning is a physiological harmless phenomenon, frequent yawning can indicate various pathologies and diseases. That is why it is important to consult a doctor when it appears.

In most cases, this symptom may indicate the following diseases and pathologies:

1. Hormonal disorders in the body;
2. multiple sclerosis;
3. Depressed state;
4. Circulatory disorders;
5. Problems with thermoregulation of the brain, especially with prolonged oxygen starvation;

Often, yawning can indicate the onset of an epileptic seizure, along with symptoms such as dizziness, change in blood pressure, fever, cloudy eyes.

But if there is pain when yawning, localized in mandible or ear, it may indicate an inflammatory process, infection, as well as a dislocation of the jaw. If you experience any discomfort, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Yawning is a normal physiological phenomenon that occurs in a person with lack of air, nervous strain, fatigue, but also many other diseases and pathologies of the body. Therefore, this symptom must be treated carefully.

Photo 1. Yawning is not unique to humans. Source: Flickr (Janačka).

Reasons for frequent yawning

A huge number of different reasons can provoke frequent bouts of yawning. In some cases, its appearance is not caused by any pathologies, while in others it indicates serious diseases. With regular causeless yawning, it is necessary to undergo a medical diagnostic examination.

Physiological

Physiological reasons - phenomena when yawning is caused by non-pathogenic factors. These include:

• Lack of air- can occur when you stay in a stuffy room for a long time, so the body tries to get oxygen.
• Overheating of the brain- When a person is overstressed for a long time, he begins to heat up. When yawning, a person swallows a lot of air, which ensures ventilation of the brain. Open the window and put a cold compress on your forehead to relieve your condition.
• Decreased body activity- if the body is tired, all metabolic processes in it slow down. Therefore, metabolic products accumulate in the blood. Thanks to yawning, blood circulation, heart rate are restored in the body, and metabolism is accelerated.
• Fatigue and lack of sleep is the most common cause of frequent yawning. Frequent lack of sleep or chronic fatigue can provoke it. This is due to the fact that the brain cannot be updated due to lack of sleep. To start the whole process in it, it needs oxygen.

Note! To get rid of yawning, it is enough to cool down and have a good rest. This will restore metabolic processes.

Psychological and emotional

A number of emotional and psychological factors can provoke frequent yawning:

• Severe surge- yawning acts as a psychological relief. Such a manifestation may indicate an approaching nervous breakdown.
• Chain reaction- if someone from the environment starts to yawn, the person who sees this repeats after him.

Why do people yawn in their sleep

V rare cases people yawn in their sleep. Usually the cause of this phenomenon is:

• Disorders in the hormonal background.
• Migraine.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
• Therapy with antihistamines.
• Deficiency of vitamins and microelements in the body.
• Sleep in an uncomfortable position.

Frequent yawning as a symptom of illness

In some cases, yawning can be caused by a number of pathological conditions. It may indicate a fainting state if accompanied by dizziness, darkening of the eyes, a drop in blood pressure and a decrease in body temperature. In addition, the following diseases can be the cause of this phenomenon:

1. Vegetovascular dystonia.
2. Multiple sclerosis.
3. Respiratory failure.
4. Prolonged depression.
5. Violations in cardiovascular system: heart failure, ischemia, tachycardia, arrhythmia.
6. Atherosclerosis is the deposition of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels.
7. Diseases endocrine system: hypo-, hyperthyroidism, diffuse goiter other.

Note! If you regularly suffer from bouts of yawning, get a diagnostic test. This phenomenon may indicate serious pathologies.

How to stop yawning all the time

Frequent bouts of yawning cause discomfort to any person. Of course, because of them, a person cannot work normally or is in society. To get rid of constant yawning, you can take the following actions:

• Breathe through your nose- so you can reduce the temperature of your body, cool the blood, which means - stop yawning. If you feel like you are about to yawn, try taking a few breaths with your mouth.
• Have a drink cold water - this will lower the body temperature, after which the yawning will stop.
• If you are working in a hot, stuffy environment, always keep a bottle of chilled liquid handy.
• Do a little exercise- This will help to disperse the blood and speed up the metabolism.
• Eat cold- for this, watermelon, melon or ice cream is best suited.
• Make yourself a cold bandage or a compress on your forehead - this will invigorate and relieve yawning.
• Ventilate rooms regularly.
• As soon as you feel a yawn approaching, rest your tongue on the upper sky.

Photo 2. Ice cream is a pleasant way to fight yawning.

Although a lot of research has been devoted to studying the causes of yawning, scientists still cannot agree on what its main purpose is. For a long time, it was believed that yawning occurs as a result of a low oxygen content in the blood: with the help of deep breath the body takes a breath of oxygen. However, scientists eventually refuted this theory: it turned out that if you give a yawning person more oxygen or ventilate a stuffy room, he will not stop yawning.

Reason for yawning. Version 2: brain cooling

According to another theory, a person yawns to cool the brain. Experiments conducted by American scientists showed that subjects who had a cold compress applied to their forehead yawned less often when watching videos of yawning people than subjects with or without a warm compress (about the contagiousness of yawning - a little lower). Those participants in the experiment who were asked to breathe only through their nose also yawned less often: with such breathing, cooler blood enters the brain than with mouth breathing.

Reason for yawning. Version 3: warm up

Who else?

Not only people yawn, but also other mammals, birds and even fish. For example, baboons yawn to show threat, while exposing their fangs. In addition, male baboons always yawn at the sound of thunder (scientists have not yet figured out why). Male fighting fish also yawn to demonstrate threat - they yawn when they see another fish or look in the mirror and are often accompanied by an aggressive attack. Other fish can also yawn, usually when the water is too hot or there is a lack of oxygen. Emperor and Adélie penguins yawn during their courtship ritual. And snakes yawn to straighten their jaws and straighten their trachea after swallowing large prey.

Another purpose of yawning is to stretch and relax tired or tight muscles. First of all, these are the muscles of the pharynx and tongue, but also the muscles of the whole body: that is why a person often stretches simultaneously with yawning. Such a warm-up for the muscles, combined with a cooling of the brain, helps to invigorate the body and bring it into a state of readiness for action. Therefore, yawning often occurs when people are nervous before some important event: students yawn before exams, skydivers before a jump, and artists before a performance. For the same reason, people yawn when they are sleepy or bored: yawning helps to invigorate a sleepy brain and numb muscles.

Reason for yawning. Version 4: Ear Help

It is also useful to yawn while flying on an airplane. This helps alleviate the sensation of stuffy ears that occurs during takeoff or landing due to the pressure difference on either side of the eardrum. Since the pharynx is connected to the middle ear cavity by special channels, yawning helps equalize the pressure in the ears.

Reason for yawning. Version 5: mirror neurons

four legged friends

Yawning can be transmitted not only from person to person, but also from person to dog. So, scientists from Sweden and the UK have shown that dogs yawn at the sight of yawning people, and the tendency to such mirror behavior depends on the age of the dog: animals under seven months old are resistant to infection by yawning. At the same time, dogs are not deceived - if a person does not yawn for real, but simply opens his mouth, depicting a yawn, the dog will not yawn in response. Scientists have also shown that dogs become more relaxed and sleepy when they see a yawning person - that is, they copy not only human behavior, but also the physiological state that underlies it.

Yawning is highly contagious. People begin to yawn not only when they see others yawning, but also when watching videos or photos of people yawning. Moreover, often it is enough for a person to read or think about yawning in order to start yawning himself. However, not everyone has the ability to mirror yawn: studies of children with autism have shown that, unlike healthy children, they do not become infected with yawning when watching videos of other people yawning. Also, children under the age of five, who are not yet able to empathize with others, are not prone to mirror yawning. What explains the relationship between susceptibility to infection by yawning and the capacity for empathy?

The contagiousness of yawning is based on the so-called mirror neurons. These neurons, located in the cerebral cortex of humans, other primates, and some birds, have a kind of empathy: they fire when a person observes the actions that someone else is doing. Mirror neurons determine the ability to imitate (for example, when learning new languages) and to empathize: thanks to them, we not only notice the emotional state of another person, but actually experience it ourselves. Mirror yawning is one example of such imitative behavior. According to scientists, imitative yawning arose in the evolution of primates to coordinate the actions of social groups. When one of the group members yawned at the sight of danger, his state was transmitted to everyone else, and the group came into a state of readiness for action.

Reason for yawning. Version 6: a sign of closeness

In 2011, Italian scientists showed that the contagiousness of yawning serves as a measure of people's emotional closeness. In experiments, mirror yawning most often occurred in close relatives and friends of the yawner. Distant acquaintances were less likely to become infected by yawning, and very rarely did mirror behavior occur in people unfamiliar with the yawning person. At the same time, gender and nationality did not affect the tendency to yawn infection.

Reason for yawning. Version 7: a symptom of the disease

Prolonged frequent yawning may be a sign various diseases- for example, violations of thermoregulation of the body, problems with sleep, high blood pressure, thrombosis of the arteries or damage to the brain stem, where the respiratory center is located. In addition, excessive yawning can occur with increased anxiety or depression - while there is an increased level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the blood. Therefore, if you are overcome by constant yawning, you should consult a doctor - check your heart, blood vessels and pressure. And for starters, you can try to get a good night's sleep and stop being nervous.

There is no such person in the world who would never yawn. Even the unborn fetus yawns in the womb.

What is a yawn?

Experts in the field of anatomy and medicine describe yawning as a reflex respiratory act, which is accompanied by a deep breath and a short exhalation. During yawning, the mouth, pharynx and glottis are open, so at this moment the body receives a large amount of oxygen.

What are its reasons?

Why does a person yawn? There are many explanations for what might cause this phenomenon. However, not all of them are fully studied and scientifically substantiated.

Scientists identify the following causes of yawning:

1. Maintaining the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the human body.
2. Protection of the nervous system. Yawning can occur during some exciting event or during a conversation. In this case, it acts as a sedative, helping the body cope with stress.
3. Lack of minerals and vitamins in the body.
4. The body needs an energy boost. During yawning, the body is enriched with oxygen, which favorably affects blood circulation and can be considered as a kind of incentive for the activation of energy reserves.
5. Relaxation. Very often a person begins to yawn when he wants to sleep. In this case, the mechanism of action of yawning is as follows - it allows the body to relax and better prepare for sleep.

1. Yawning initiates the opening of the communicating channels of the throat and auricles, thereby relieving the feeling of congestion in them due to the temporary dissonance of pressure.
2. brain temperature regulation. It is not uncommon for a person to yawn during extreme heat, when the brain needs additional cooling due to the intake of air.

Why is yawning contagious?

In places with a large crowd of people, you can often observe the response of the surrounding people to the fact that someone yawned. It manifests itself in the fact that a few seconds after the yawn of one person, everyone who observed this phenomenon begins to yawn one after another. The reasons for this phenomenon, according to experts, can be two.

Non-verbal reflex

The "non-verbal reflex" theory suggests that yawning is transmitted from one person to another in connection with "primal memory". Our ancestors, who lived under the primitive communal system, did not communicate using the speech apparatus. Therefore, when people went to bed at the same time, the yawn of the leader was regarded as a “signal” to sleep for the entire tribe. And they were obliged to support him with an appropriate response.

Empathy

The fact that only a few people in a large group are “infected” by yawning when another yawned may indicate their propensity for empathy. Studies conducted in America, England and Japan have shown that those who have a more developed area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain responsible for empathy predominantly “pick up” yawning.

Why do eyes water when yawning?

Many people have noticed that when you yawn, your eyes water. This is easily explained by human physiology. During yawning, the eyes are closed, which leads to squeezing of the lacrimal sac and contraction of blood vessels in the lacrimal ducts.

Therefore, tears do not always have time to get into the nasopharynx and pour out of the eyes.

Why do some people yawn when they pray?

Often people begin to yawn involuntarily during the prayer book. Believers explain this reaction by the presence of an evil eye or damage in a yawning person.

However, if this is a completely normal physiological phenomenon, try to evaluate it from a scientific point of view, the conclusions will look like this:

• Most often, people yawn in the morning or evening - the church service usually falls at the same time. During this period, the body is not yet fully involved in the work and is trying to enrich the brain with oxygen with the help of yawning. Or it's time to get ready for bed, that is, it's time to relax.
• If a person prays in front of others and says a prayer aloud - in this case, yawning can begin simply from elementary excitement.

How to deal with yawning?

If yawning occurs periodically, then there is no cause for concern. However, if a person yawns frequently and continuously, such a phenomenon can serve as a signal that the body feels oxygen starvation, is on the verge of exhaustion, or is experiencing some kind of malfunction.

In this case, the following simple recommendations can help to defeat yawning:

Deep breath exercise

At certain intervals (for example, after 1 hour), it will be useful to take 5-6 deep slow breaths. When approaching an inappropriate yawn, you need to take a deep breath through your mouth and exhale through your nose, or moisten your lips with water (first the top, then the bottom).

The duration of sleep for each person is different: for someone to fully recover, it is enough to sleep 8-10 hours a day, and for some, even 6 hours is enough. It is very important to determine your amount of time and get enough sleep regularly.

Also, if possible, try to rest during the day. In the daytime, a 20-minute rest will help the body relax and gain strength, while it will not allow you to switch to a good sleep.

Straight back

For the health of the spine and the prevention of yawning, you should constantly monitor your posture. With a bent back, the diaphragm does not work “at full”, which can initiate unreasonable “yawning”.

Sports and healthy lifestyle

During sports, the body is saturated with oxygen, which allows a person to remain alert throughout the day. In addition to training, it would be highly desirable to give up bad habits and take outdoor walks as often as possible.

Proper nutrition

A well-fortified diet and eating in moderation can also prevent yawning. It is advisable to include in meals only those products that are related to healthy eating(exclude fast food, excessively high-calorie sweets, food waste).

In addition, you should try to drink 1.5-2 liters of purified water per day.

Medications

Also, to exclude the appearance of unreasonable yawning will help to reduce to the required minimum the intake of various medicinal preparations, especially antihistamines.

Many consider yawning to be a completely harmless and even useful reflex: when a person yawns, his muscles relax, and the brain is saturated with oxygen. Experts also warn - frequent causeless yawning can be a symptom of dangerous diseases. How to distinguish harmless drowsiness from malaise and understand that it's time to see a doctor?

Why do we yawn?

A person yawns for several reasons. It can be a psychological "chain" reaction, fatigue, lack of oxygen, emotional and physical overstrain. Most often, you want to yawn when there is “nothing to breathe”: as a rule, in such cases, a person stays in a stuffy room for a long time. Yawning, a person provides saturation of the brain with oxygen, ventilates it and helps to work better. “Pay attention: as soon as you yawn sweetly, and soon you will come up with a solution to the problem that has occupied you since morning, or you will have an idea that will bring success,” notes doctor-therapist Alexander Zubarev. “This happens because the brain, as a result of a deep breath, received a large portion of oxygen and earned more actively.”

Often a person begins to yawn when he is nervous in front of some important event. During stress, people at the reflex level hold their breath without even noticing it. The level of oxygen in the blood drops, and the body "forces" a person to yawn and provide air flow.

True, yawning has not only positive aspects. Sometimes frequent yawning without visible reasons may indicate that a person has serious illnesses- from hormonal disorders in the body to diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Is yawning harmful?

If the room is ventilated, and you slept at night, but still do not stop yawning, it will not be superfluous for you to check with a doctor. Regular yawning can be a sign of serious diseases - for example, diabetes. The fact is that with this disease, glucose does not enter the cells of the body and does not produce energy. The patient feels at the same time terrible fatigue, he constantly wants to sleep - hence the frequent yawning.

Drowsiness combined with yawning can also be a symptom of another dangerous disease - obstructive sleep apnea, or prolonged breath holding during sleep. Usually snorers are at risk. Sometimes in the process of snoring, a person suddenly stops breathing, and then - after a few seconds - starts again. Such breath holdings can be up to a minute. Some do not attach much importance to this, but in fact, sleep apnea causes significant harm to the body. Until a person breathes, oxygen does not enter inside, and all organs begin to work worse. During the day, the body seeks to compensate for the lack of oxygen, and a person constantly yawns.

How do you know when it's time to see a doctor?

Yawning also appears with reduced pressure. “A sharp decrease in pressure is a symptom of serious pathologies,” the therapist warns. “Including it can be an aortic aneurysm, a very dangerous disease that is almost asymptomatic and fraught with negative consequences.” Also, repeated yawning can indicate multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the nervous system is damaged.

The doctor reminds: yawning in itself cannot be an independent sign of the disease. Any disease is manifested by several symptoms. Yes, at multiple sclerosis, in addition to yawning, this is a violation of coordination of movement, visual disturbances, weakness in the muscles.

“Frequent yawning, in combination with other symptoms, can be signs of emotional stress or depression, as well as hormonal disorders or poor circulation and other diseases,” says Zubarev. - If you yawn frequently and experience other types of discomfort, see your doctor. Yawning from exhaustion is just a sign that you need to get better sleep! Often a person yawns, and just because his neighbor yawns, such a “chain reaction” is known to everyone. There are many different opinions about its nature, but we can absolutely say that it does not do any harm. So, if your colleague or friend yawns sweetly, do not hesitate to keep him company: give your brain a portion of oxygen!