Why is Yawn Contagious?

Yawn...Yawn...Yawn...Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....... Contagious right!!!!

But Why??

Well before we jump into that question, let's know about why do we actually yawn??

To the matter of fact, there is no particulr proven answer for that question....But a widely accepted theory by the scientists across the globe states that we tend to yawn when we feel bored or exhausted.....

Yes, scientists do not know all of the biological mechanisms of the yawn, but tend to agree that a yawn is an involuntary respiratory reflex controlled by the spinal and nerve centers, which regulates the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the blood.

Scientists speculate that the onset of a yawn is triggered either by fatigue, or by sheer boredom as, at those times, breathing is shallow, and little oxygen is carried to the lungs by the oxygen-toting cardiovascular system.

Why is it contagious??

Scientists explain away the "contagious" nature of yawning, that is when one person's yawn triggers another nearby to yawn, as due to the power of suggestion....It's an unconscious mirror effect - someone yawns, you yawn in response almost like a reflex. But some thinks it has to do with empathy. The more empathetic you are, the more likely it is that you'll identify with a yawner and experience a yawn yourself....

Mysteries about yawning!!!!??????

Yawning mysteries include why fetuses in the womb yawn, when it is a well-known fact that they do not intake oxygen into their lungs until after live birth, or why individuals with high concentrations of oxygen in their blood streams yawn.....

Why do tears come out of our eyes when we yawn??

Tears drain away from each eye along two channels marked by a tiny opening at the inner edge of each lid. The channels lead to the lacrimal sac at the side of the nose, which is why your nose runs when you cry. Yawning exerts pressure on the lacrimal sac causing normal tearing.

Few cool yawning facts....

The average yawn lasts about six seconds.

55 percent of people will yawn within five minutes of seeing someone else yawn.

Blind people yawn more after hearing an audio tape of people yawning.

Reading about yawning will make you yawn.

Olympic athletes often yawn before competition.

and most importantly

You might be yawning after reading this......Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh........