yawning

[nextqueen]

is it possible to yawn when we are asleep or do we only do it when awake?

[Sqad]

Yes....yawning is an involuntary event, so can occur during various levels of unconsciousness, including sleep.

[kryptic]

just curious here, is there a medical term for yawning?

[Sqad]

kryptic........not that I know of.

[Quizmonster]

Medical terms are frequently based on Latin or Greek originals. On that basis, yawning might be called oscitation.

[wheaten]

I've often wondered if we swalllow and sneeze in our sleep or not?

[Sqad]

Quizmaster....can't think of a better word, but it is never used in medicine as "yawning2 as a symptom is not a reliable feature of any disorder.

However let's call it Quizmaster's Sign.

[daftgrandad]

I dont know about being able to swallow,but I,ve read that you can only sneeze whilst awake.

[karenmac60]

Wheaten - not sure about sneezing but surely we must swallow in our sleep. Or are you one of those folk who drools all over the pillow? ;)

[Cowtipper]

I hate drooling while I sleep. I have a self image to keep up.

[wheaten]

I'm a drooler, usually aim for husband's pillow!

[Quizmonster]

Aw, come on, Sqad...I'm QuizmONster and I'd never dream of calling YOU SqUad! (I mention it solely because there actually IS an Answerbanker called Quizmaster.)
I have to say, though, that I like the idea of having a medical 'sign' named after me!

[Sqad]

QuizmONster......yes, we will patent that for you.....all we need is a disorder that is characterized by bouts of oscitation.

[floeveryoung]

Yeah, people yawn in their sleep

[Quizmonster]

Sqad, if drug addiction and obesity may now be seen as diseases, I can see no reason why boredom should not be one, too. So, perhaps journalists who have to spend their days in the press gallery at Westminster listening to endless political droning might claim to have a condition one sign of which will be endless oscitation.

[feona]

We usually yawn to maintain the right oxygen level in our body. Whenever our body doesn't get the appropriate amount of oxygen, it respond towards that results into yawning.So it is possible that we may yawn during sleep too.