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It's amazing why yawning is contagious

4hw.org: when it comes to yawning, many people say that yawning can be contagious. Once a person yawns, the people around him will unconsciously follow him. Believe it or not, take a look at the picture above for three seconds to try. Then why is yawning contagious? Let's explore the mystery together!

Researchers at the State University of New York found that when people are tired, the carbon dioxide in their blood will increase, which will stimulate our brain's respiratory center and cause deep breathing activity, that is, yawning.

Through a large amount of oxygen supplement, exhale carbon dioxide, to restore the blood oxygen concentration and maintain the normal work of the brain. Exaggerated movement of the face helps to relax muscles and relieve fatigue.

So 'yawning' is not a sign of decadence and drowsiness, it's just a way for us to relieve fatigue. It can not only help us to remove too much carbon dioxide from our body, but also be a protective adaptation to our body.

When we don't get enough sleep or overwork, we yawn one after another. This is a warning that our brain and organs are working tired. It reminds us to go to sleep and get a rest.

After getting up in the morning, we often yawn more than once. This kind of behavior can promote the functional areas of the cerebral cortex to change from inhibition state to excitation state, so that the cerebral cortex can work normally.

The so-called infectious yawn, in fact, is a psychological hint, different from the cold infection. When you see others yawning, vision will stimulate the cerebral cortex, stimulate nerve reflex, an instinctive phenomenon.

Animal yawns can also be contagious

As human beings are socialized animals, individual survival is based on the understanding of others' behaviors, motives and emotions. Studies have shown that the first stage of understanding others' intentions is not logical thinking, but seeing others' behaviors with eyes and imitating them in the brain, just like looking in the mirror. This process is called 'imitation reflex'.

In situations that are prone to fatigue, such as long meetings, if a person yawns, then all the people who see the process will imitate it in their brains and 'remind' themselves that the same way can be used to relieve sleepiness.

So, according to the expression of "imitation reflex", we can "yawn", or even just look at pictures and words, which can serve as a reminder. Remind us that it's time to relieve stress and fatigue by yawning!