People more likely to yawn in winters
September 20th, 2011 - 5:41 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Sep 20 (IANS) People are more likely to yawn in winters as opposed to the summer when the heat outdoors exceeds body temperature, which suggests that yawning could be a method for regulating brain temperature, scientists say.
The study led by Andrew Gallup, post-doctoral research associate in ecology at the Princeton University, US, is the first ever involving humans to show that yawning frequency varies with season.
Gallup and his co-author Omar Eldakar, post-doctoral fellow at the University of Arizona, US, say that this seasonal disparity indicates that yawning could serve as a method for regulating brain temperature, the journal Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience reports.
“To test this theory in humans, I worked with Omar Eldakar to conduct a field-observational experiment that explored the relationship between ambient temperature and yawning frequency,” said Gallup.
They found that participants were more likely to yawn in the winter, as opposed to the summer when ambient temperatures were equal to or exceeding body temperature.
Both the researchers documented the yawning frequency of 160 people in the winter and summer in Tucson, Arizona, with 80 people for each season, according to an Arizona varsity statement.
They concluded that warmer temperatures provide no relief for overheated brains, which, according to the thermoregulatory theory of yawning, stay cool via a heat exchange with the air drawn in during a yawn.
- We yawn to cool our overheated brains - Dec 16, 2008
- Shot congresswoman Giffords taken off ventilator in Arizona - Jan 16, 2011
- Your yawning may indicate desire to have sex: Scientists - Jun 27, 2010
- Five killed in US spa shooting - Feb 22, 2012
- Summer of 2011 likely to be less hot - Apr 19, 2011
- Rising indoor winter temperatures associated with obesity - Jan 25, 2011
- Shot congresswoman Giffords to move to Texas rehabilitation clinic - Jan 20, 2011
- Handwritten note reveals plan to kill US congresswoman - Jan 10, 2011
- Arizona Shooting Victim Gabrielle Giffords Responding To Commands, Doctors Say - Jan 10, 2011
- Scientists can now read our minds - Dec 26, 2011
- Using liquid foam technology to improve greenhouse, plant microclimates - Dec 29, 2010
- Kashmir to operate gas turbine to augment power supply - Jan 02, 2012
- Over an hour of meditation reduces pain - Apr 06, 2011
- Gabrielle Giffords' husband's space shuttle Endeavor's launch postponed - Apr 30, 2011
- Daylight could help fight obesity - Aug 22, 2009
Tags: ambient temperatures, andrew gallup, body temperature, brain temperature, brains, co author, disparity, doctoral research associate, ecology, frontiers, heat exchange, observational experiment, participants, post doctoral fellow, post doctoral research, princeton university, scientists, tucson arizona, university of arizona, varsity