The Surprising Reason Yawning Too Much At The Airport Could Get You Flagged By TSA

Many of us think of yawning as nothing more than a sign that we're tired, if we even notice ourselves doing it at all. However, did you know that yawning in an airport setting could signal something a lot different? That's according to a leaked report on passenger behaviors, which states that excessive yawning has made the list of activities that raise suspicions among Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents (via GMA).

The reason behind this is linked to behavioral detection methods. TSA agents are trained to notice not just what passengers are carrying, but also how they're carrying themselves. This is called the Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program. While a single yawn is harmless (like some of these seemingly normal behaviors TSA agents look out for), frequent yawning can be interpreted as a sign of heightened stress, nervousness, or even attempts to conceal something. Jeff Price, a professor of aviation management, explained to Fox News that "when people are stressed, they tend to want more oxygen," hence the yawning.

Airports are naturally tiring, but security agents are taught to separate normal travel fatigue from behaviors that might signal something more. It's part of a broader strategy to identify potential threats before they reach the gate, and yawning, as weird as it sounds, happens to be one of the behaviors that can put someone under the TSA's microscope.

We know what you're thinking: Who doesn't yawn when traveling? If you didn't come off a long, red-eye flight or have been up since the crack of dawn, then you probably still spent ages in a never-ending security queue (and it's not just you, here's why TSA rules are always inconsistent). Yawning is basically a necessity. And the good news is, yawning alone is unlikely to have you pulled aside by TSA agents. Officers know the difference between normal fatigue and behavior that might point to something more sinister.

It's only when combined with other suspicious behaviors, like avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, or generally appearing unusually tense, that it might raise a red flag. For the average passenger, this is nothing to stress about at the airport. TSA officers are trained to look at patterns rather than one tired person in the middle of an arduous stopover.

Ultimately, this is more of a friendly reminder than a warning. If you know you're prone to travel stress, a little preparation goes a long way, like checking out Rick Steves' advice for travel anxiety. Remember to stay hydrated, eat a light meal before security, and give yourself plenty of time to get through the airport. All these things can help reduce travel stress even a little. And maybe an extra espresso shot will help prevent excessive — and potentially suspicious — yawning. So, go ahead and yawn your way through that 6 a.m. flight — just don't pair it with a lot of shifty glances and restless pacing.