Yawning feels ordinary. Almost automatic. You do it without thinking, usually when you are tired or bored. Nothing special about it, or so it seems.
But there is a small shift that many people notice right after. Sounds feel a bit clearer. Sharper. Like your ears just adjusted something on their own. According to Dr Karan Rajan, that feeling is real, and there is a clear reason behind it.
Effect of yawning on the auditory system
Yawning has a direct effect on how your ears handle sound.
It mainly involves the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat. This tube usually stays closed. But when you yawn, things change.
“When you yawn, the forceful jaw stretch opens (the eustachian tube) up and equalises the pressure between your middle ear and the air around you. This restores your eardrum’s ability to move freely, which is why sound feels crisper afterwards. Your ears just needed a pressure reset,” he explained.
That pressure reset is key. Once the balance is restored, the eardrum can vibrate more effectively. And that is what improves how you pick up sound.
Yawning also activates two small muscles in the middle ear.
“At the same time, yawning contracts two tiny muscles in your middle ear, the tensor tympani and stapedius. These muscles tense the bones that transmit sound and briefly dampen what you hear. But once they relax, your eardrums are perfectly positioned to pick up sound again, and your hearing feels clearer,” he said.
This is also why your ears pop during a flight. Same principle. Pressure changes. But yawning adds something extra. It increases blood flow to the brain at the same time, which can temporarily boost how your auditory system performs.
Yawning as an acoustic defence reflex
There is another layer to this.
Yawning may also act as an acoustic defence reflex. The same middle ear muscles involved here do more than just reset tension. They also help protect the Cochlea from low-frequency sounds generated by your own body. Things like your voice or even jaw movements.
“It’s why babies under 4 to 6 months don’t have this reflex yet. Their operating systems are still loaded,” he explained.
He also pointed out that yawning is not the only trigger.
“Swallowing and chewing also trigger the same eustachian tube opening. If you need to yawn constantly to clear your ears, or if one ear pops and the other doesn’t, that could signal eustachian tube dysfunction from allergies, acid reflux, or sinus issues,” he said. “And it’s worth getting checked by an ENT before it becomes a bigger problem.”
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