Yawning
Posted: December 3, 2011 Filed under: Students 2 Comments »BY SAMANTHA SPIRA-BAUER
Most people believe that yawning comes form boredom or exhaustion. And others may think its one of my favorites, that the brains lacking oxygen. Recent research has shown that yawning actually occurs to cool down the brain. Everyone knows the brain is out CPU, or central processing unit. Acting as our computer, its clear that it would also work better cooler. According to Gary Hack from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and Andrew Gallup from Princeton University. “The brain is exquisitely sensitive to temperature changes and therefore must be protected from overheating”. When yawning, the walls of the maxillary sinuses flex. They are located in the cheeks, on each side of the nose. It is unclear what their actual function is, and this research may help to determine their purpose in the human body and its functions. Temperature in the body must be regulated at all times. Hence why we sweat when we exercise. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down the internal organs and skin. But it has been unclear what cools down the brain besides sweating through the head.
“The researchers said their theory that yawning helps cool the brain has medical implications. For example, excessive yawning often precedes seizures in people with epilepsy and pain in people with migraine headaches.” Now doctors may be able to determine diagnoses in patients who yawn frequently and excessively. Gallup stated, “Excessive yawning appears to be symptomatic of conditions that increase brain and/or core temperature, such as central nervous system damage and sleep deprivation”. I think research like this is extremely important. It can lead to understanding more of how the body works and help determine diseases.
Article: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=151981
I like the idea that yawning cools down the brain. I appreciate the fact that this can help professionals diagnose medical problems in individuals who yawn a lot.
The author opened the blog post by stating that “most people believe that yawning comes from boredom or exhaustion,” but then it seems like the author implies this is untrue, claiming “that yawning actually occurs to cool down the brain.” I for one know that I do yawn more often when I am tired. The author’s post, however, does not refute this position but supports it. The author quotes Andrew Gallup from Princeton University as saying “Excessive yawning appears to be symptomatic of conditions that increase brain and/or core temperature, such as central nervous system damage and sleep deprivation.” Being tired, or being sleep deprived, leads to increased brain and/or core temperature, which leads to more yawning to cool down the brain and body. So, there may not be a simple link between exhaustion and yawning, but increased temperature fills the gap.
I also like the theory, but it isn’t very accurate considering there aren’t very many scientific facts on how this could be possible. I think that people yawn more often for other reasons, like being tired. I don’t think I’ve ever yawned because my brain was overheating. Good blog though.