What Makes You Yawn
Today I want to talk about something that is infectious. This doesn’t involve bugs. However, you might catch it just listening to me! I am talking about yawning.
Although the yawn may be triggered by physiological needs we don’t yet understand, its origin seems almost entirely psychological. We often yawn simply because we see someone else yawning. Just hearing me talk about it may tempt you to yawn!
Physiologically, yawning may have some connection with a need to accelerate the body by inducing a more rapid and thorough exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen.
Yawning is often accompanied by stretching movements. Other physical effects of yawning include opening the tubes between the ears and the throat, adjusting the air pressure in the middle ear, and watering the eyes and mouth. This latter effect results from pressure put on the tear and salivary glands.
The desire to yawn and the frequency of yawning is increased markedly with either boredom or sleep deprivation.
It’s curious that we tend to yawn shortly before sleeping and immediately after waking. If a yawn were simply to increase alertness by giving us an extra shot of oxygen, it would be inappropriate just before sleeping. Perhaps its main function at this point is to encourage relaxation. But we’re not sure. All this needs more research.
So next time you see someone yawning, be careful! Remember, it’s catching!
Yawning is a great example of a behaviour that we all engage in involuntarily. While its specific usefulness is unclear, it is common to us all. Its social implications are interesting. When one person starts to yawn, others tend to mimic the behaviour. That makes us think that it is more tied to psychological and sociological factors than physiological ones.
There are many other behaviours we consciously and unconsciously copy from others. Some of these become codified as “manners” and are expected as a sign of social conformity to the values and standards of the group. In some cultures, to eat with the fingers of the left hand is unthinkable. In others, to eat with the fingers of either hand is rude and boorish.
In issues of dress, generations are nearly always characterized by style markers which are faithfully followed by the majority of a given population. Language, physical space, social interactions like hand-shaking and other things are copied as means of demonstrating our solidarity with “the group.”
Group solidarity is an important part of our lives. Humans are social and sociable creatures. From the time we are born, we need others. We start out requiring basic physical care. Over the years, the needs change as we become more adept at taking care of ourselves, but we never outgrow our hunger for interaction. We derive much of our meaning in life from interactions with others. It is a rare person indeed who can live a satisfying life with little or no significant human contact.
I believe that this is a reflection of the purpose for which we exist. God created humans for relationship first of all with Himself and also with each other. Our natural rebellious streak may separate us from God but it doesn’t quench our desire for connectedness. While human relationships are fulfilling, we will never find our deepest needs met until we look to God, Himself.
David Humphreys and Ron Hughes
