I like to hear from my readers because it makes me feel as though my column makes a difference in some readers' choices to lead healthier lives and that my columns may reassure them.

A reader wrote, "First, I must say I enjoyed your column on sighing. I have noticed that I do a lot of sighing and not in a negative way. Glad to know it's good for me. Second, I was wondering if you could consider doing a column on yawning. I have noticed when I meditate and I'm super relaxed, but not sleepy, I tend to yawn a great deal. What is your take on this?"

Since there are numerous benefits to meditating, I am happy to hear from a reader who mediates, and I wish to reassure her that her yawning is probably a good thing. Yawning is a perplexing human function and scientists have several theories about why we yawn. Yawning is opening your airway and mouth to take a long deep breath of air and typically lasts four to seven seconds. It is mostly an involuntary act.

The act of yawning is not unique to humans. You've probably seen your cat or dog yawn, and birds and fish also yawn. While evidence suggests that sleepiness is the most common trigger of yawning, there are other triggers.

Yawning stimulates your brain to improve focus and regulate your brain temperature. Yawning can also be a helpful tool for soothing stress. You may even witness athletes yawning before a game. Yawning can also help deepen your breathing and draw more oxygen into your lungs. Anxiety can cause shallow breathing, which reduces the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain. So, in these cases yawning does not necessarily promote sleepiness but serves to keep you awake. Yawning can lead to activating your parasympathetic nervous system - the network of rest and digest nerves that help the body relax.

Yawning may also affect your ears and your eyes. Some people find that their eyes water when they yawn. This may be due to pressure on the tear glands or eye fatigue. Watery eyes can occur when yawning pulls on and stimulates the lacrimal glands that produce tears. According to Medical News Today, yawning may help clear the eustachian tubes: "The eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the throat. Yawning can open these tubes, helping relieve pressure and sometimes even reducing fluid from them. This may help with earaches or reduce pressure when a person is at high altitudes."

The other phenomenon we observe is that when one person yawns, others may follow. That person sitting next to you who yawns at the lecture might spread his nonverbal message to you. Have you caught yourself saying, "Don't do that!" because you fear that you might repeat the gesture? You know it's possible; it's one of those things humans do.

Excessive yawning can be a symptom of certain conditions or situations, so if you are concerned, it may be something you want to mention to your primary care physician. Certain medications are also linked to excessive yawning.

Yawning is as common as it is mysterious. If you yawn a lot, try to figure out why. Are you tired, bored, need to wake up? Give yourself permission to yawn and stretch. In addition to drawing the deep, refreshing breath in and then sending it out, extend your arms and legs, arch and twist your back, tense your muscles intensely, and then relax fully. Feels good, doesn't it? In my reader's case, she is now primed, present and prepared, mentally and physically, to meet whatever is in front of her.

Finally, the other phenomenon we observe is that when one person yawns, others may follow. That person sitting next to you who yawns at the lecture might spread his nonverbal message to you. Have you caught yourself saying, "Don't do that!" because you fear that you might repeat the gesture? You know it's possible; it's one of those things humans do. Be polite to the speaker, but remember the good yawning does.

I am yawning writing this column, and you may be yawning reading it!

Relax and savor the moment. Feel free to share your thoughts with me: [email protected].

Ashton Graham is an educator, book publisher, photographer, cowgirl and yoga teacher. She is currently studying to become a yoga therapist and lives on a ranch in West Texas. Subscribe to her newsletter "Maintaining Balance" www.ashtoncannon.com.