Why Do People Yawn When They’re Tired or Bored?

Yawning is like a brain stretch. When people are tired or bored, their brains feel sleepy and slow down, so they yawn to wake them up! Yawns can even spread from one person to another, like sharing the same sleepy feeling.

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Examples

A student yawns during a long math class, and soon the whole room starts yawning too.
Your friend yawns after lunch, and you can’t help but yawn with them.
You see your dog yawn at the park, and suddenly you feel sleepy too.

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Categories: Psychology · yawning,sleep,brain activity,contagious behavior,boredom