system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Eli5: Why when you yawn your hearing goes down?
gpt
The dampening of the eardrum occurs during a yawn because a muscle, tensor tympani, contracts somewhat
immobilizing the eardrum. This muscle is a safety feature which helps prevent damage from loud sounds and
contracts involuntarily although some ppl can cause it to tense on purpose. Speech therapist.