Why Do We Yawn?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
9. Surfactant
Surfactant is a type of fluid that is produced by our lungs so that we can breath. In the lungs, the fluid is secreted by tiny sacs of air that are known as alveoli. These sacs of air are very important to us because they help us to absorb oxygen from the air that we breathe.
Surfactant in the lungs helps to keep pulmonary tissue elastic and reduces the surface tension of pulmonary fluids. This helps to protect our lungs, ensuring that we can continue to breathe without difficulty. It is thought that yawning helps to keep the surface of the lungs covered with this important fluid.
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