Why Do We Yawn—And What Has It Got to Do with Trauma Processing?

We tend to think of yawning as something that happens when we’re bored or tired. But if you’ve ever been in an EMDR session or any other trauma-processing therapy, you might have noticed yourself yawning more than usual. And not just yawning maybe your stomach started gurgling, or you found yourself burping, or even passing wind. What’s going on?

Far from being impolite or insignificant, these bodily responses are signs that something deep is happening. They’re the body’s way of letting go.

What Is the Purpose of a Yawn?

Yawning is a reflex that involves deep inhalation, stretching of the jaw and upper body, and often tearing of the eyes. It’s not just about sleepiness, there’s more going on under the surface.

1. Yawning Helps Regulate Brain Temperature:
Research suggests that yawning plays a role in cooling the brain. When the brain gets too warm—often during times of fatigue or mental strain—yawning increases blood flow and draws in cooler air, helping regulate temperature and restore optimal functioning. (Gallup & Gallup, 2007)

2. It Engages the Parasympathetic Nervous System:
Yawning is one of the body’s natural mechanisms for shifting into the parasympathetic state—also known as “rest and digest.” It’s often followed by a deep sigh or exhalation, signalling the body is coming out of a stress response and into a calmer state.

3. It’s Social and Contagious:
Interestingly, yawning is also linked to empathy and social bonding. Seeing or hearing about yawning can trigger it in others, showing a mirror-neuron effect connected to emotional attunement.

Yawning and Trauma Processing

In EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and other trauma therapies, clients often begin yawning during or after sessions. This isn’t a coincidence. Yawning is part of a group of physiological responses that indicate the nervous system is discharging built-up stress or trauma.

1. The Body Is Releasing Tension
Trauma is not just stored in the mind it is stored in the body. When we access traumatic memories in EMDR, we stimulate both cognitive and somatic processing. As the trauma is metabolised and integrated, the body often releases held energy. Yawning is a gentle, spontaneous way for the body to do this.

2. The Vagus Nerve Is Being Stimulated
The vagus nerve, which travels from the brainstem to the gut, plays a major role in calming the body. Yawning stimulates the vagus nerve, helping to soothe the body and create a sense of safety.

3. It’s a Form of Neurophysiological Discharge
Alongside yawning, people may also sigh, burp, experience stomach gurgles, or pass wind. This is because trauma processing activates the autonomic nervous system, particularly the parasympathetic branch, which affects digestion.

What Other Bodily Responses Are Normal in Trauma Work?

When people begin to feel safe enough to process trauma, their bodies often react in surprising ways. These include:

- Yawning (often repeatedly)
- Sighing or deep exhalations
- Burping or stomach rumbling
- Flatulence or the urge to use the toilet
- Tingling, shaking, or waves of heat or cold
- Tears without accompanying sadness

These are all signs that the nervous system is moving out of a state of shutdown and into regulation.

Why This Matters in EMDR

EMDR is a therapy designed to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories, so they no longer hold the same emotional charge. But this is not just a “thinking” process, it’s also a physiological one. When clients begin yawning or releasing tension physically, it tells us that the therapy is working on a deep level.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve found yourself yawning, burping, or needing the toilet during trauma work, don’t worry you are not doing anything wrong. These discharges are the body’s way of saying:

“I’m letting go. I’m safe now. I can rest.”

They are signs of healing, not disruption.

References

- Gallup, A. C., & Gallup Jr, G. G. (2007). Yawning as a brain cooling mechanism. Evolutionary Psychology, 5(1), 92-101.
- Porges, S. W. (2011). *The Polyvagal Theory*. W. W. Norton & Company.
- van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). *The Body Keeps the Score*. Penguin Books.