A Word on..
Yawning
There is very little research on yawning. No one knows for sure why we yawn. Contrary to popular belief, we don't yawn because we need more oxygen. Studies have found no difference in yawning rates among people breathing air with high or low levels of oxygen.
There is probably more truth to
other common beliefs about the causes of yawning. We are more
likely to yawn right after we rise in the 
morning, before we retire at night and when
we are bored. On the other hand, we may yawn when we are very
anxious or under stress. Some psychologists think that yawns help
regulate changes in alertness. Other studies confirm that seeing
or even thinking about another person yawning will make you yawn
too. Even reading an article about yawning can make a person more
likely to yawn.
One possibility is that contagious yawning may have evolved as an unconscious way to synchronize behavior in a group, though the reason for this is unclear.
In very rare instances, some nervous system disorders affect yawning. People with schizophrenia, for instance may yawn less, while people with brain lesions, concussions, tumors or hemorrhages may yawn more.
Back
to St. Charles Parish Home Page
|
