# Yawning?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 5, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289 "2003-05-05T23:35:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289/1 "2003-05-05T23:35:57Z")

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Why do animals, including man, yawn? What purpose does yawning have? Does excessive yawning an adverse medical symptom?

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**Author:** ![jawdirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@jawdirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jawdirk)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289/2 "2003-05-05T23:48:26Z")

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IANAD, but I heard that yawning is just a reflex which forces you to take a deep breath. It happens when the oxygen level in your brain gets a little low. My guess is that excessive yawning is not very serious, because if it was really serious, you would be feeling dizzy or passing out.

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**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289/3 "2003-05-06T01:08:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jawdirk \*  
> \*\*IANAD, but I heard that yawning is just a reflex which forces you to take a deep breath. It happens when the oxygen level in your brain gets a little low. My guess is that excessive yawning is not very serious, because if it was really serious, you would be feeling dizzy or passing out. \*\*

Actually, that’s not true. Once again (I’m on a roll), I’m far too lazy to find a cite, but seeing as how I’ve nailed every point thus far without a cite, it’s a safe bet to believe what I’m saying. In fact, I think Cecil wrote about it on this site.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289/4 "2003-05-06T02:12:06Z")

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Cecil on yawning:  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_309.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_309.html)

You may want to search GQ. There’ve been at least 3 threads within the past year.

I once read that not being susceptible to “contagious yawning” is a symptom of psychosis.

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**Author:** ![MajorTom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@MajorTom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MajorTom)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yawning/173289/5 "2003-05-06T05:29:32Z")

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I dunnowhat cured it, but yawning became a compulsive disorder for me at about age 6. I think the doc told Momandad just to make me stop as I would become real geeky. I stopped of my own volition.  
I have no circulatory problems, and my lung capacity is WAY HUGE. SO says I have some sysptoms of sleep apnea though.  
I really think it became a habit 'cause it feels soooo…