I just read this from the blog of Dr. Caroline Leaf, a neuroscientist who has great credentials and knows what she is talking about, so I thought it was worth passing on.
Can you believe that yawning is great for your brain…and you thought it was bad manners to yawn in public!
In fact, neuroscientists are telling us that yawning has 12 neurological benefits the sum of which increase our intellectual functioning as well as decreasing toxicity in our minds (pubmed.gov). It basically activates an area in the brain called the precuneus, which is involved in consciousness, self-reflection and memory. Yawning also helps regulate the temperature and metabolism of your brain.
Yes we do yawn when we are tired or bored or when we are exposed to light, but neuroscience shows that yawning actually has a type of reboot function, which helps to increase our alertness making us more cognitively aware. It sort of wipes out the tiredness and refocuses us.
Yawning activates an amazing pathway in the brain dealing with empathy and the result is an increase in the quantity and quality of loving empathy and an increase in conscious self-reflection.
Yawning, as I am sure you are aware, is neurologically contagious: when you see someone yawn, you yawn too.
I find it absolutely fascinating that God has designed every part of us to work towards manifesting the qualities of Jesus…we are truly wired for love.
Some of the other benefits of yawning include increasing memory, improved introspection, improves your sense of timing, enhances pleasure and lowers stress.
So stop what you are doing and yawn 7 times…your eyes may water, but it’s worth it!
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