A Physiological Theory of Yawning as a Response to Brain-Body Mismatch
From the essay
Yawning remains a widely observed but poorly understood physiological phenomenon. This paper proposes that yawning is triggered by a mismatch between the brain's sustained oxygen demand during alertness and the body's reduced oxygen supply caused by relaxation or semi-asleep states. Incorporating carbon dioxide (CO₂) dynamics and parallels with exercise physiology, this theory explains yawning as a reflexive mechanism to restore homeostasis between oxygen demand and supply. Experimental observations of induced yawning during guided relaxation support this hypothesis.
Adapted from PDF pages 1.