# Why poke out your tongue when concentrating? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409 "2003-07-05T18:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@The\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/1 "2003-07-05T18:08:12Z")
I was just wondering why a lot of people poke out their tongues when concentrating. Surely this doesn’t aid them in whatever task they are performing. Your thoughts would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/2 "2003-07-06T03:49:47Z")
You’ll have to ask my Dad. Mom: Honey, you’re doing it again! Apparently it’s genetic as well. I do it too. Beesashitouttamee. ---
**Author:** ![Phage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a4c791/32.png) [@Phage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phage)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/3 "2003-07-06T04:44:34Z")
When thinking hard, your brain produces more heat. Sticking your tongue out helps to cool the brain. \>:P ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/4 "2003-07-06T05:05:19Z")
I have no idea, but my guitar teacher does it when he’s on stage with his band doing a solo. It drives me insane with lust, but only when he does it, not anyone else so far. But then again, pretty much anything he says or does drives me insane with lust. (Pay me no heed; it’s the leftover mango daiquiri speaking. Yeah, that’s it.) ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/5 "2003-07-06T05:24:32Z")
Just a tip. Asking people who do it will not give you any good answer. At least, not if they’re like me; I have no idea why, but I can’t really keep myself from doing it. It’s like sticking out an arm or a leg when I lose my balance. I also reflexively shoot my foot out when I drop something. I know why I do this, though - it breaks the fall. Fortunately, I haven’t dropped any anvils yet. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/6 "2003-07-06T05:58:00Z")
I recall reading about a study where this was… um… studied. The part I remember was about _sensitivity_ to this. A prof gave the subject some type of quiz, and said they would be marking something in another spot. The quiz was missing some integral part, but by the time the student found this out, the prof would have headphones on, be seated facing a corner, and have their tongue out. Some students waited at least 30 min, possibly nearly an hour without disturbing the prof. So what you can glean from this is it’s an often-headed indication that your task requires your full concentration, no interruptions please. I don’t think I do this much myself. I can imagine doing it while working on house wiring or a car, both situations that have periods where you wish to be uninterrupted for good reasons. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/7 "2003-07-06T06:15:43Z")
(Shudder) President Richard Nixon would fix his face in a frown, especially in the area around his mouth, when he was deep in thought. So said Time Magazine in those days. * * * Brainlather. Rinse. Repeat. Brianthaler. Snire. Reepat. Rather. Blintz. Brie Fete. Lah. Rin. Freat…Here’s the shampoo. Go crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/8 "2003-07-06T13:27:12Z")
This brings to mind the phenomenon that we tend to look upwards when trying to remember something. I remember reading / seeing on TV (can’t remember, so no cite for this) that it facilitates access to the part of the brain required for memory. Perhaps sticking the tongue out (I do it too 🙂 ) enables easier access to the “concentration” part of the brain? Julie ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/9 "2003-07-06T14:12:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phage \* > \*\*When thinking hard, your brain produces more heat. Sticking your tongue out helps to cool the brain. \>:P \*\* I don’t know if this is true, but I heard that when Churchill used to write he would occasionally touch his head, and when it got too hot he would stop writing and have a break. So ya never know… ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/10 "2003-07-06T18:15:33Z")
Well, rolling your eyes up (as you would do when looking up to remember something) can actually induce alpha brain waves, which occur when in deep concentration or REM sleep. Rolling your eyes back when closed is a technique often used in hypnosis and lucid dreaming induction. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/11 "2003-07-06T19:01:14Z")
There was this girl in one of my high school gym classes who would always stick out her tongue just as she was serving a volleyball. Never understood it. ---
**Author:** ![Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4af34b/32.png) [@Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/12 "2003-07-06T19:10:39Z")
My mom and I both stick our tongues out when we concentrate. I have no earthly idea why. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-poke-out-your-tongue-when-concentrating/186409/13 "2003-07-06T19:41:34Z")
I learned in a Psyhology class that if you have your tonue out, people will leave you alone.