Have you ever been in class or a meeting and let out a big yawn? If so, has someone looked at you funny or called you out for being rude? This is fairly common because most people look at yawning as an expression for being bored. Did you know that yawning is actually very healthy for your brain? Yawning has many benefits, so don’t be afraid to let a big one out every once in a while. Let’s go over a few benefits of a yawn.

Did you know that yawning regulates your brain temperature and metabolism and it also stimulates neural movements in certain areas of the mind? Due to these factors yawning can increase muscle control and enhance sensuality. Yawning also helps regulate our internal clock. That is why it feels natural to yawn before going to bed.

For those of you who like to meditate before bedtime to relax the mind, a good yawn can do the trick much faster and more effectively. Yawning not only calms the body, but it also increases your cognitive function.

It may seem rude to yawn while someone is talking, but if you’re sleepy, it’s probably the best thing you can do. When you yawn, you rid the brain of sleepiness. This helps you to better keep your focus on the person talking.

There have also been studies to show that yawning stimulates the part of the brain responsible for empathy and social awareness. This means that the more frequently you yawn, the better chance you have of being kind to others. This world needs more compassion, so maybe we just aren’t yawning frequently enough.

Make a point to yawn several times each day. It’s healthy for your brain and your body. Yawning shouldn’t be looked at as being rude. It’s a natural response and it keeps our brain functioning properly. Now, take a big yawn and see how it makes you feel.

-Tom