Reading Time: 1 min 55 sec
I hope the next 23-ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
I read some fascinating things about yawning last week that blew my mind. So, I’m making an exception to my usual “random thoughts” format and dedicating this entire newsletter to the surprising benefits of yawning. Enjoy!
4 THOUGHTS
1. One of The Best-Kept Secrets in Neuroscience
“In my professional opinion, yawning is one of the best-kept secrets in neuroscience. Even my colleagues who are researching meditation, relaxation, and stress reduction at other universities have overlooked this powerful neural-enhancing tool.”
- Andrew Newberg, MD and Mark Waldman, How God Changes Your Brain (and all below quotes)
When a neuroscientist says yawning is one of the best-kept secrets in the field, I tend to sit up and pay attention 😊. Let’s look at some of the benefits next.
2. How Yawning Impacts the Brain
“Several recent brain-scan studies have shown that yawning evokes a unique neural activity in the areas of the brain that are directly involved in generating social awareness and creating feelings of empathy. One of those areas is the precuneus, a tiny structure hidden within the folds of the parietal lobe. According to researchers at the Institute of Neurology in London, the precuneus appears to play a central role in consciousness, self-reflection, and memory retrieval…it's possible that deliberate yawning may actually strengthen this important part of the brain.”
3. Yawning Also Cools Your Overactive Brain
“So what is the underlying mechanism that makes yawning such an essential tool? Besides activating the precuneus, it regulates the temperature and metabolism of your brain…Yawning probably evolved as a way to cool down the overly active mammalian brain, especially in the areas of the frontal lobe.”
The most scientifically robust reason for yawning is to cool our brains…pretty neat.
4. Yawning May Help Rid the Brain of Sleepiness
“But yawning doesn't just relax you—it quickly brings you into a heightened state of cognitive awareness. Students yawn in class, not because the teacher is boring…but because it rids the brain of sleepiness, thus helping you stay focused on important concepts and ideas. It regulates consciousness and our sense of self, and helps us become more introspective and self-aware.”
The take-home from these: The next time you feel a yawn coming on, don’t fight or suppress it—let it happen (and enjoy it) wholeheartedly.
1 Quote
“Yawning will relax you and bring you into a state of alertness faster than any other meditation technique I know of.””
1 GOOD BOOK
How God Changes Your Brain by Andrew Newberg, MD, and Mark Waldman
Don't let the title (or New Age-y cover) distract you. This book is actually more like “The Neuroscience of Meditation and Breathing.” A good portion of it focuses on contemplative practices and breathing exercises. It’s a fun and interesting read.
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
Enjoy these posts? Donate to say thanks!
P.S. a hack for choosing books
CFD 4-Week Program
While I try to keep my newsletter family-friendly 😂, I wanted to share this Calm the F Down (CFD) program with you. It’s a 4-week breath course that will help you reduce stress and develop a better relationship with anxiety in your body.
The instructor, Brittany, is an IG friend with a really cool educational background and life story. Check it out and see if her approach resonates!
Get One of My Digital Guidebooks
The Breathing App for Diabetes
This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!
Amazon Associate Disclosure
I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )
* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.