# Why do yawns and stretches come together so often and so well?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-yawns-and-stretches-come-together-so-often-and-so-well/658627>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 17, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-yawns-and-stretches-come-together-so-often-and-so-well/658627 "2013-05-17T20:55:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-yawns-and-stretches-come-together-so-often-and-so-well/658627/1 "2013-05-17T20:55:27Z")

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See subject. I thought of it because my dog does the same thing, with equal pleasure.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-yawns-and-stretches-come-together-so-often-and-so-well/658627/2 "2013-05-17T22:02:52Z")

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And why is it so difficult to control the facial contortions of a yawn?

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**Author:** ![Archaic\_Entity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@Archaic\_Entity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archaic_Entity)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-yawns-and-stretches-come-together-so-often-and-so-well/658627/3 "2013-05-17T22:17:30Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> See subject. I thought of it because my dog does the same thing, with equal pleasure.

My guess is that both stimulate an increase of oxygen flow throughout the body.