Why do we yawn? Yawning is a universal gesture. Everyone yawns, from babies still in their mother's womb to the elderly. However, the exact reasons for this reflex are not well understood. Is it just ...

Dear Reader: We all yawn frequently, more often in the early morning and late evening. Does it mean we’re tired? Bored? Short on oxygen? As common as it is, we know little for certain about yawning.

Seeing or hearing someone yawn can make you yawn. This phenomenon is not limited to humans; some animals experience contagious yawning, too. But why is yawning contagious? Brain cells called mirror ...

DEAR READER: We all yawn frequently, more often in the early morning and late evening. Does it mean we’re tired? Bored? Short on oxygen? As common as it is, we know little for certain about yawning.

Let's start at the beginning. Who yawns? Everybody. Not just people, but cats, dogs and fish do, too! What is a yawn? It is an involuntary action during which you open your mouth and breathe deeply ...

Ever catch yourself yawning just by reading about it? That’s no coincidence: yawning—stretching your jaw wide, inhaling deeply, then exhaling—is an ancient behavior shared by vertebrates, from fish ...

Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment.View full profile Rachael has a degree in Zoology ...

Open your mouth wide, stretch the muscles of your jaw and upper body, take a slow breath in, and then exhale quickly. What have you done? You have yawned. Many animals, including humans, yawn. They do ...

Doctors say frequent yawning can indicate deeper health issues. If you’re a chronic, compulsive yawner then don’t ignore it ...

DEAR DOCTOR K: I get plenty of sleep. So why do I yawn all the time? DEAR READER: We all yawn frequently, more often in the early morning and late evening. Does it mean we're tired? Bored? Short on ...