Does reading about yawning make you yawn?

@JudyEv (382019)

Rockingham, Australia

February 6, 2024 2:19am CST

My last discussion about sneezing prompted both Dena (@Dena91) and Julia (@Juliaacv) to comment that they’d both sneezed four times around the time of reading the post. Surely reading the post didn't trigger the sneeze. But who knows? But seeing another person yawning seems to trigger us to yawn. Have you noticed that? I decided we should try a little experiment. Does just reading about yawning make you yawn too? Let me know.

I don’t have a photo of a horse yawning but this one is from Wikimedia Commons, courtesy Rachel C from Scotland, CC BY 2.0.

22 people like this

23 responses

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

6 Feb 24

I didn't yawn, but wanted to.

4 people like this

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv Yes, we know. I hope you're having a wonderful day.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 24

@just4him Thanks. And you too.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

About six out of 26 said they yawned when they read the post so now we know.

2 people like this

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@LadyDuck (502379)

• Italy

6 Feb 24

Reading this post I had to yawn, well may be that I am getting hungry at it is 10:15 in the morning. Seeing others yawning always makes me yawn, no problems with sneezing.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

About six out of 26 said they yawned when they read the post but more said that if someone else yawns then they'll yawn too.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (502379)

• Italy

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv I think it was the picture that made me yawn. When I see someone yawning I cannot refrain... even if it's my cat.

2 people like this

@much2say (57760)

• Los Angeles, California

7 Feb 24

You know what - I have not yawned in years! But Hubby says when he sees a person yawn, he will yawn.

2 people like this

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@much2say (57760)

• Los Angeles, California

10 Feb 24

@JudyEv I thought I heard on the radio that people yawn because there is not enough oxygen in their system at that time - not sure if that is true or not.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 Feb 24

@much2say I've heard that too and it sounds logical to me. I read that as well but it seems they can't really prove it one way or another.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I wonder why you don't yawn? That seems a bit strange. I think a lot of people yawn when they see someone else yawn.

2 people like this

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@Juliaacv (56199)

• Canada

6 Feb 24

Well now, you are just not going to believe this. I yawned on reading a comment on the post right before I opened this one up. I wonder if I am alone doing that or did you get into my head somehow?

2 people like this

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@Juliaacv (56199)

• Canada

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv That is hilarious!!!

See, better to laugh than to yawn or sneeze.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I'm getting really tired of replying to these comments as I'm up to ten yawns at the moment.

That's ten yawns of my own! Only about six said they yawned while reading the post. lol

2 people like this

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Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (18198)

• Raurkela, India

6 Feb 24

I may yawn if somebody yawns close to me but I won't yawn if I read about it.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

That seems to be the same for most people.

2 people like this

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (18198)

• Raurkela, India

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv You are right.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222310)

• United States

6 Feb 24

The picture of the horse made me yawn. Seeing another person yawn always makes me yawn. Have a good day.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I yawn when I see others yawn too.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 24

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222310)

• United States

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv All I have to do is see the word Yawn.

1 person likes this

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@snowy22315 (208846)

• United States

6 Feb 24

I don't know, but talking about Parkinson has made my hand twitch!! The power of suggestion!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

Oh no, that's not good! I hope you're not talking yourself into something!

2 people like this

@snowy22315 (208846)

• United States

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv Everything was normal the rest of yesterday, today and last night..

. It is strange how our minds work sometimes.

1 person likes this

CAPirani Photography & Art

@capirani (2817)

• United States

7 Feb 24

The word "yawn" makes me yawn. So does seeing anyone yawn, even my dog. Back about 45-50 years ago the sleeping pill over the counter med called Sominex used to have a commercial after the late night news was over. All it showed was different people yawning. No talking. Then ended with the name of Sominex. Of course it would make everyone sleepy.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

So far, I've yawned three times just replying to comments here.

2 people like this

@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

6 Feb 24

The fur babies yawned at random here due to the coldness. I wonder if the story of a book is not interesting.

2 people like this

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@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

7 Feb 24

@JudyEv I can feel you. I also feel that way when feeling sick.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I often yawn if I start to feel sick. I don't know why.

2 people like this

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@RasmaSandra (97991)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

7 Feb 24

Nope not reading about yawning, However, you reminded me of a time when I lived in NYC, It was very early and I had to get to work, I already felt tired and then a lady got in the subway car and sat opposite with a dachshund in a bag, That dog looked straight at me and started yawning, I felt so sleepy and had to keep yawning I was glad to finally get off the subway,

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

It's lucky you didn't fall asleep. Dogs have huge mouths when they yawn.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238298)

• Walnut Creek, California

6 Feb 24

But seeing the horse close up almost made me sneeze.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

Animal fur can get up your nose easily and make you sneeze.

@TheHorse (238298)

• Walnut Creek, California

6 Feb 24

I am not sure if I yawn when I see others yawn.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

You'll have to start taking notice.

1 person likes this

@JESSY3236 (22246)

• United States

6 Feb 24

No. I didn't yawn. But when someone in a video does it, I do.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I think this happens to a lot of people.

2 people like this

@nela13 (59367)

• Portugal

6 Feb 24

I have already noticed that, we always yawn in pairs

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

If you're in a group, sometimes the yawning goes right round everybody.

1 person likes this

@AmbiePam (120692)

• United States

6 Feb 24

I have not yawned, but give me time.

I don’t know if you have heard of the show, Mythbusters, but they did an experiment to see if yawning was contagious, and they found it most definitely was. Which isn’t a surprise, but the experiment at least gave the results some legitimacy.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

I'm going to write more about yawning and why it seems to be contagious.

2 people like this

@BarBaraPrz (51818)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

6 Feb 24

This didn't make me yawn but when someone on the phone yawns, I start to too.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

If I see someone yawning then I'll yawn too.

2 people like this

@wolfgirl569 (135690)

• Marion, Ohio

6 Feb 24

I yawned. But it is morning so who knows

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

So far, I've yawned 8 times just replying to comments.

2 people like this

@Marilynda1225 (91069)

• United States

6 Feb 24

Love the picture but it didn't make me yawn. I wonder why we all tend to yawn when someone else does.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

It's funny, isn't it? I might do some more research and write about it.

1 person likes this

@franxav (14592)

• India

6 Feb 24

When I need to sneeze I sneeze, when I need to yawn I yawn. I don't think reading about them ever caused it.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

Do you yawn if someone with you yawns? That's what happens with me.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (21499)

• London, England

6 Feb 24

Didn't work for me. I have an alternative hypothesis that there are only so many yawns in the world and they jump from person to person, which is one when one person in a group yawns it passes from person to person

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382019)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 24

That's a very good hypothesis and I could quite easily go along with that.

2 people like this