Why do we yawn when we see others yawning?

Let's see why we yawn? Yawning is something that overwhelms us when we see or hear someone else yawn. It's so powerful and contagious that it pulls us into the act, even if we don't feel tired or sleepy.

Why do we yawn when we see someone else yawning?

Let's touch first the scientific aspect of yawning. Scientists have long been engaged in researching the reasons for yawning. It was initially thought that yawning helps bring more oxygen into the body, which could explain why it happens when we feel sleepy or tired. However, research from 1987 disproved this theory. They found that there is no connection between lack of oxygen and the urge to yawn.

Today, one of the most accepted theories says yes yawning serves as a means of awakening, especially when we feel tired or bored watching something we are not interested in. Indeed, yawning increases the heart rate and contributes to greater attention. This means that yawning can serve as a kind of "switch" for the body that helps us stay awake and alert.

In addition, yawning is also associated with by cooling the brain. When we yawn, the muscles in the face relax, allowing heat to be lost through the veins in the face. Cool air coming in during a yawn can help lower the brain's temperature.

The most likely explanation for the contagious nature of yawning lies in empathy

When we see someone else yawn, our brains trigger the urge to yawn ourselves. This phenomenon is most pronounced when yawning is observed in people who mean a lot to us or are close to us. This is known as the resonance phenomenon and also occurs in animals such as chimpanzees and dogs.

Although we don't know everything about yawning, it's clear that this phenomenon is more complex than it might seem at first glance. It is related to both our physiological and psychological functioning.

And the next time you yawn at the sight of someone else, just know that it is a natural response.