During the 2010 Winter Olympics, remember Apollo Ono yawning so much! Well he was definitely onto something. If you want to maintain healthy and optimum brain function, it is essential that you yawn, says Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of the Center for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania. Yawning is one of the best-kept health secrets. The action stimulates neural movements in the brain and helps regulate the temperature and metabolism. Newberg suggests yawning 10 times in a row every day. A nightly yawning ritual isn’t a bad idea either. It can:
Chill you out! Yawning relaxes you more effectively than meditation. “More than simply calming you, yawning brings the mind into a heightened state of cognitive functioning,” says Newberg.
Keep You Focused. Yawning before we hit the sack, helps tell our body that it’s time for sleep by regulating our internal clock. So listen to your body and you will be healthier for it.
Enhance Compassion. Studies have shown that yawning can stimulate the part of the brain responsible for empathy and social awareness. Intentional yawning may actually help you be more kind to others.