This is a difficult question to answer because there are many possible explanations. Some experts say that yawning is a way of communicating with others, and when we’re in pain, we might feel extra stressed and need to release that stress. Others suggest that people who yawn frequently tend to be smarter than those who don’t, and may use yawning as an intelligence test to see how much information they can process at once. Finally, some believe that during periods of intense pain, our bodies instinctively shut down to conserve energy. Yawning might be one way our bodies communicate this.