Two things...

Two things that are often the cause of puzzlement and wonderment in my house, but are most definitely ever present.... yawning, and hiccoughs, or hiccups. When the first yawn of the evening occurs, (usually my own), nothing is more certain than the domino effect which follows, whereby all members of the household including the dog open their mouths with great gusto and takes an inordinately long sharp intake of breath, and an even lengthier exhale. When the revolving questions is raised: Mum! Why do we keep yawning!? I try to put on my medical head and explain that a yawn is a semi-automatic reflex that originates in the brain stem in response to a lower level of oxygen in the brain. Many people think that when we yawn its because our bodies are trying to get rid of extra carbon dioxide and to take in more oxygen. However, there is also evidence to suggest that people yawn more when they are bored. But, mum why do we catch yawns? There is the theory that yawns are contagious because at one time in our evolutionary history, yawning was a signal to coordinate the behavior of a group of animals. Yawns may still be contagious these days because of a leftover response that is not used anymore! (I am yawning whilst writing this blog. I'll wager a bet that you may stifle a yawn whilst reading this too!)

Hiccoughs (or Hic-cups) are the source of much amusement within my family. (Not the most amusing bodily action I can assure you, but we won't go there at the moment!) I am never sure what works to relieve them or not, but we go through a whole array of old wives remedies, from holding our breath for absolutely ages, to scaring someone unexpectedly and even drinking a glass of water upside down! Hiccups are actually the result of an involuntary, spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm followed by the closing of the throat. They are a common disorder, but also one of the mildest. A hiccup is a reflex action. However, unlike other reflexes such as coughing and sneezing, hiccups do not have any useful purpose, apart from to cause great embarrassment outside the home and intense amusement inside the home! Most people have bouts of hiccups from time to time. They usually start for no apparent reason, last a short while, then stop.

Of course, drinking excessive amounts of white wine on a Friday night have absolutely nothing to do with it at all.