Why Do My Eyes Tear Up When I Yawn?

Have you ever let out a big yawn and found tears trickling down your cheeks, even though you’re not sad? This surprisingly teary experience is common. Rest assured, tearing up when you yawn is completely normal. But why does it happen? This article delves into the science behind this peculiar phenomenon.

Yawning is a natural reflex we associate with feeling tired or bored. When you yawn, your mouth opens wide, you inhale deeply, and the muscles in your face contract. Many people also instinctively squeeze their eyes shut. This combination of actions is what triggers your eyes to water.

The Science of Tears: How Our Eyes Make Tears

To understand why yawning makes your eyes tear up, it helps to know how your tear system works. Tears aren't just for crying; they are essential for eye health.

• Lacrimal Glands: These are the tear glands located above each eyeball, under the upper eyelid. They continuously produce basal tears to lubricate and protect your eye's surface.
• Tear Film: Every time you blink, tears from the lacrimal glands spread across your eye in a thin, protective film. This keeps your eyes moist and washes away dust and debris.
• Tear Drainage (Nasolacrimal Ducts): Excess tears drain through tiny openings called puncta, located in the inner corners of your eyelids. From there, tears flow through small tubes (nasolacrimal ducts) into your nose. This is why your nose gets runny when you cry.

Tears from yawning are considered reflex tears. Unlike emotional tears, they are triggered by a physical action rather than a feeling.

Why Do We Yawn?

Scientists are still exploring the exact reasons we yawn, but a few leading theories exist:

• Brain Cooling: One hypothesis suggests that yawning helps regulate brain temperature by drawing in cooler air.
• Increased Alertness: A deep yawn and stretch might boost alertness by increasing heart rate and blood flow.
• Social and Communication Cues: Contagious yawning may be linked to empathy and social bonding.

Regardless of the reason, the physical act of yawning is what matters for tear production. When you yawn, you open your jaw wide, contract your facial muscles, and often squeeze your eyes shut.

Why Yawning Makes Your Eyes Tear Up

The core reason your eyes water during a yawn is due to a combination of physical pressures and reflexes.

1. Facial Muscles Squeeze the Tear Glands

When you let out a big yawn, the muscles around your eyes, including the orbicularis oculi, contract. This contraction puts gentle pressure on the lacrimal glands. Think of it like squeezing a sponge—this pressure pushes out a small amount of the tears stored in the glands, causing them to well up in your eyes.

"It’s normal for your eyes to water when you yawn. Yawning causes the facial muscles around your eyes to contract, gently pressing on the lacrimal (tear) glands. That added pressure can express a small amount of tears, making it look like you’re tearing up."

— Dr. Rachel Chang, Ophthalmologist

2. Eye Closure Causes Tear "Overflow"

Most people instinctively close or squint their eyes when they yawn. This tight closure temporarily blocks the tiny drainage ducts (puncta) in the corners of your eyes. With the drain momentarily closed, the newly released tears have nowhere to go and begin to pool on your eye's surface. When you open your eyes after the yawn, this accumulated fluid can spill over, creating "yawn tears."

3. A Reflexive Bodily Response

Yawning often occurs when you're tired, and your eyes may already be dry or strained. A yawn can act as a "reset," forcing you to close your eyes and re-lubricate them with a fresh coat of tears. The yawn itself can also stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for "rest and digest" functions and can slightly increase tear and saliva production.

In summary, yawning creates the perfect conditions for a brief tear overflow. Muscles squeeze the glands, eye closure stops drainage, and a reflex response ensures your eyes stay moist.

Is It Normal to Tear Up When Yawning?

Yes, it’s completely normal! Tearing up when you yawn is a common reflex and a sign that your tear glands are functioning properly. Some people experience it with every deep yawn, while others only notice it occasionally.

When to Be Concerned

Yawn-related tears are harmless. However, you should consider speaking with an eye doctor if you experience:

• Excessive tearing all the time, not just when yawning.
• One eye consistently tearing more than the other, which could signal a blocked tear duct.
• Other symptoms like eye pain, redness, or discharge along with the tearing.

For most people, watery eyes from a yawn are just a minor, temporary inconvenience.

Fun Fact: Some people can induce a yawn on purpose to generate tears if their eyes feel dry or if they need to flush out a small irritant.

Recommended Video

For a quick and engaging visual explanation of this phenomenon, check out this video from SciShow.

• SciShow: Why Do We Cry When We Yawn?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is it normal that only one eye waters when I yawn?

A: Yes, this can be normal. Our faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical, so one side might scrunch more during a yawn, or one tear duct may drain differently. As long as the difference isn’t extreme and you don't have other symptoms, it's not usually a problem.

Q: How can I prevent my eyes from tearing when I yawn?

A: Since it's a natural reflex, it's hard to prevent completely. You can try yawning more gently or with your eyes partially open. Blinking a few times right after a yawn can also help tears drain properly instead of spilling out.

Q: Do these 'yawn tears' count as crying?

A: No, tearing up from yawning is not the same as emotional crying. Yawn-induced tears are a small overflow of your regular basal tears used for lubrication. Emotional tears have a different chemical composition and are produced in much larger volumes.

Q: Why do my eyes also water when I laugh or cough hard?

A: The mechanism is very similar. Laughing, coughing, or sneezing hard also causes your facial muscles to contract and can momentarily increase pressure around your eyes. This pressure can squeeze the tear glands, causing a reflex tear overflow, just like with yawning.

Q: Does everyone’s eyes tear up when they yawn?

A: Most people experience some tearing with a strong yawn, but the amount varies. Some people may rarely notice it, while others get watery eyes with almost every yawn. Both are normal and depend on individual factors like anatomy and how tired you are.

Q: Can yawning benefit my eyes?

A: Yes, in a small way. Yawning-induced tears help lubricate your eyes, which can be beneficial if they are feeling dry from tiredness or prolonged screen time. The act of closing your eyes tight and reopening them also helps redistribute the tear film evenly across the eye's surface.

Conclusion

Tearing up when you yawn is a normal and harmless reflex. It’s a simple consequence of facial muscles pressing on your tear glands while your tear ducts are momentarily blocked. So, the next time you wipe away a tear after a big yawn, you can be confident that it’s just your body’s clever way of keeping your eyes healthy and hydrated.