Yawning

According to a medical dictionary, yawning or oscitation is the act of producing a yawn. A yawn is the involuntary opening of mouth often caused by suggestion and accompanied by breathing inward then outward. Repeated yawning can be a sign of drowsiness or depression ("Medical Dictionary," 2009). It is usually a reflex of simultaneous inhalation of air and stretching of the eardrums, followed by exhalation of breath. Pandiculation is the act of stretching and yawning simultaneously. Yawning is generally related to tiredness, stress and boredom. Yawning can also be a powerful non-verbal message with several possible meanings, depending on the circumstances. The average duration of a yawn is about 6 seconds. In humans, the earliest occurrence of a yawn happens at about 11 weeks after conception - that's BEFORE the baby is born! (Chudler, 2007).