http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-yawning-healthy.html
Is Yawning Healthy?
By Danielle Winston, Natural Solutions
Afraid to risk rudeness and let out a hearty yawn? Well, here’s an excuse to give Miss Manners a hissy fit: According to neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, MD, director of the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania, yawning is one of the best-kept health secrets. “If you want to maintain an optimum healthy brain, it is essential that you yawn,” says Newberg. The action stimulates neural movement in certain areas of the mind and regulates brain temperature and metabolism–all of which can increase muscle control, enhance sensuality, and even ward off jet lag. Newberg suggests yawning 10 times in a row every day, along with your regular workout or wellness routine.
A nightly yawning ritual can help you:
Chill out. Newberg says a good yawn can relax you more effectively than meditation. “More than simply calming the body, yawning brings the mind into a heightened state of cognitive functioning.”
Stay focused. “Yawning rids the brain of sleepiness, helping you keep your attention on important ideas and concepts,” says Newberg. So why do we start yawning before we hit the sack? Because it also helps regulate our internal clock: When we’re tired, yawning signals sleep.
Be more compassionate. Studies show yawning stimulates the part of the brain responsible for generating empathy and social awareness. So intentional yawning may actually strengthen our ability to be kind to others.
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69 comments
add your comment »i believe yawning is healthy coz its a natural process and doesnt affect both the person or the environmnt negatively
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why is this inappropriate?
The pressure on my ears when flying or going up high places causes some loss of hearing. Yawning relieves the pressure and I instantly hear and feal better.
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why is this inappropriate?
I never yawn. It has always seemed as somekind of a social custom to me.
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why is this inappropriate?
can't help but yawn when tired...
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why is this inappropriate?
of course you should cover your mouth when in public. the yawning procedure should end with some face washing with just plain water.
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why is this inappropriate?
i yawn a lot when i'm tired. in fact when in train, going home after a day at work i provoke the yawns and i yawn until my tears start running. i find it helps me to calms and become more focused. somehow it clears my mind. i yawn until i can get those "complete" yawns, when you feel that the whole brain was relaxed. i somehow managed to figure out this myself as i found it relaxing.
i may look strange to see someone yawning with all their heart, with tears running down theur faces but this has a profound calming and relaxing effect.
so here is the recipe. get into a comfortable position in a chair. try to clear your mind of all kind of parasite thoughts. then start yawning. at first you won't be able to get a "compelte" yawn but after a few you will get there. yawn with all your heart. tears will start runnign down the cheeks. yawn until tears don't flow anymore. it helps me to keep the eyes shut most of the time but it's not mandatory, this whole thing may last 10 mins or so. you will feel so relaxed, focused, peacefull almost like after meditation.
good luck with you yawning procedure. :)
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why is this inappropriate?
Thanks for the article. I never understood what was so "rude" about yawning in public anyway. OK, it is a little rude to yawn in public without covering your mouth with your hand, but otherwise...if someone "takes offense," maybe they should develop a thicker skin.
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Interesting!!
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WOW. I never knew it was possible to induce a yawn. Oh my goodness, I just did, only it only happened nine times in succession as opposed to ten.
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why is this inappropriate?
Wow.....interesting....i have been doing a yawnathon over the last 2 days and a dozen times just in the last 5plus mins.Who would have thought it is healthy for all those reasons.
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why is this inappropriate?
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