Why people yawn when they are sleepy? Are there any biological reasons behind yawning?
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I’ve always known it through an A&P instructor that the yawn is designed to open up some of the alveoli that aren’t being used as the body signals for more oxygen.
I always thought it was just a way to internally stretch your lungs. Much like how people stretch their bodies when tired.
I feel this need to yawn, pop knuckles, or stretch whenever I see others do it.
It’s not so much inhaling, but exhaling slowly. It replicates breathing exercises to induce shower heart rhythm.
I was informed that it was that your Brain was low on O2 ,and by yawning you breathe in a lot more than normal..therefore kick starting your brain ..?
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Surely it’s to take in maximum oxygen?
>The biomedical hypothesis proposed here is that the immediate trigger for a yawn is a restricted collapse of a few alveoli in the lungs. A more extensive form of alveolar collapse is termed atelectasis and this involves a serious state of hypoxia which, if deepened or prolonged, can be fatal. Therefore, if the hypothesis is correct, yawning may prevent the development of atelectasis and save lives.
Lack of oxygen and sleepines are closely related
>When your body is low on oxygen, you feel tired. Fatigue comes more quickly when your lungs can’t properly inhale and exhale air.
Too much CO2 makes you sleepy
>Hypercapnia can be chronic (long-lasting) and cause symptoms like shortness of breath (dyspnea) and daytime tiredness or fatigue
Yawning is making sure you feel tired because you **are** tired and you’re not just falling asleep because you’re not breathing well enough. This wouldn’t end well
Ha, read that and just yawned (though it is nearly 10pm and I’ve been up since 5am).
Coincidence? I THINK NOT!
Whenever I start yawning too much I have an erection, is there some sort of chemical relation?, maybe it uses similar parts of the brain?
indeed. when brain feel tired, brain tells lungs to do biiiig gulp of cool air. sudden intake of air and stretching of the lungs and diaphragm increases blood flow and brings new oxygen into the body. this can help to do a little tiny jump start to attempt to make body less tired. it doesn’t really work but for some reason humans haven’t evolved past yawning yet…so it must serve some other purpose.
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