I yawn more than I'd like to admit. Whether it's 10 a.m. or 10 p.m., you'll catch me yawning (most of the time for no reason). My friends often get annoyed by this, thinking that because I'm yawning I must be tired. But is that actually the reason why I'm yawning? 

There's so many things you've probably heard about what a yawn means - or why you're doing it. Maybe you've heard that yawning means you're tired or that you're lacking oxygen. Whatever the myth may be, I think it's time to find out the real reason. 

Okay, so why do we yawn? 

salt
Judy Holtz

This is a topic of great discussion, since there hasn't been much research done. But why we yawn could be answered by when exactly we're yawning. Sleepiness could be affecting you're yawn, even if you just woke up. According to an article in the New Yorker, you're more likely to yawn the hour after you wake up and the hour before you go to bed. 

The myth about yawning when you're bored could also be true. You're more likely to yawn when you're bored, as was found by a 1986 study of college students. 17 to 19 year-old college students were given a 30-minute video about rocks to watch, and were monitored by how many times they yawned. 

It really is contagious. 

sweet, apple, candy
Alex Frank

You know how when you yawn, you're often find people around you starting to yawn too? Well that's because yawning really is contagious. If you see someone yawn, you're might actually yawn yourself. A study showed that chimpanzees have the same affect when it comes to yawning, and if one yawns they all yawn. 

The closer you are to a person, the more likely you are to catch their yawn. And no, this isn't a joke, it's a real thing. If you're best friend yawns, you won't be far behind. Researchers have studied this phenomenon, and they think it's actually a thing. This is taking your relationships to the next level. 

Convinced yet? 

napping, nap, sleep, sleeping, pillow, blanket, bed, tea, beer, cake
Jocelyn Hsu

Take it from someone who yawns a lot, but having some sort of clarity of what a yawn actually is for is quite relieving. I know it's not always because I'm tired (which I am most of the time). But whatever the case may be, getting some answers about something so mysterious sure is great.