why do we yawn? What happens in the body when we yawn?
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Yawning flexes the inner ear, causing ear wax to shed. It also improves bloodflow to the head.
Why? It’s unclear. There are many possible explanations, such as those outlined in [this study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3678674/) which proposes reasons:
* Arousal: It increases heartrate for about 5 seconds following a yawn, and increases flushing and conductivity of the skin. This is similar to a dose of caffeine, but for 5 seconds.
* Thermoregulation: There’s some evidence that it allows you body to more quickly and easily regulate temperature in your upper body with flushing and increased airflow.
* Social Empathy: It’s a social thing among animals that create a connection. Evidence shows those who have mental disorders preventing empathy are not subject to contagious yawning.
* Ear pressure regulation: It opens up the eustachian tubes and when our jaw extends, equalizing the pressure in your ears and the ambient pressure.
* (formerly believed) increased O2: It used to be believed it increases your oxygen available in your body, but that was easily disproven through study after O2 sat meters were invented.
As far as what happens:
Your jaw extends, your tongue might pull back and your throat flexes which opens your eustachian tubes. This often causes your ears to pop. You generally take a deep breath and exhale. Your skin flushes a bit, as blood flow goes up. Your heartrate increases by approximately 5 beats per minute, for no more than 5 seconds after the yawn.
Edit: I yawned 6 times while writing about yawning.
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