Even though this topic is not directly related to allergies, I just have to blog about it because this is something I've wondered about my entire life, and I've never heard a satisfactory explanation until now…

(And, while this topic is not directly related to allergies, it is related to otorhinolaryngology, the medical specialty concerned with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat.)

Have you ever wondered why people (and animals) yawn? Have you ever wondered why yawns are contagious? I certainly have!

After much research, scientists have concluded that yawning is a way for the body to cool the brain, reports The New York Times. (Why didn't I think of that? It seems so obvious!)

Yawning is not related to boredom or a lack of oxygen in the blood. It is simply a mechanism of drawing air up into the sinus cavities to cool the brain.

Yawning seems to be associated with sleepiness because when people get sleepy, they tend to breathe through their mouths more, and the mouth does not provide the same cooling effect that the nose does.

As a matter of fact, yawning is not so contagious when one is breathing through the nose only, or when one is holding a cold pack to the forehead.

According to the new theory, cooling the brain makes people more alert, and contagious yawning probably developed as an evolutionary mechanism to help groups remain vigilant against danger.

Looking for allergy relief products?  Shop AchooAllergy.com.