Read a meme about opening your mouth real big? You guessed it: open your mouth real big about it.
Yawning is more about getting more oxygen in your system. Which sometimes can be for to you being sleepy and not breathing as well, but always to do with tiredness.
I think when you see someone else yawn, you do the same to make sure you’re just as on point as they are. Since more oxygen in your system means you’ll operate more efficiently.
I think that’s correct, anyway? If someone knows better, please correct me
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You read the word Yawn several times in a meme, guess what
Literally just yawned reading this meme, lol.
Yeah I had to yawn when I opened the comments. Yawning is really weird
Snake yawns are the most cute of yawns and I will fight every one who says otherwise.
My idea is that yawing helps sync our internal clocks. So, we sleep at the same time, and wake up at the same time. That way, no one is left behind when the group starts moving to the next waterhole, or feeding ground.
Except nocturnal circadian cycles were evolutionary in nature. The pack wanted someone awake at all times to protect from predators.
When a baby is crying on an airplane during takeoff or landing, I visibly and audibly yawn in front of them on purpose, so they catch the yawn and pop their ears.
You’re supposed to stay in your seat during take off and landing. Please, remain in your seat. Why do you keep getting out of your seat and silently scream at the babies?!
Who says you have to get out of your seat?
How to tell if your baby is a sociopath with this one simple trick. For this trick you’ll need: a baby, a stranger, an airplane, and the power to suspend all critical thinking.
that is genius
What’s that? You’re not tired and you haven’t seen anyone open their mouth big, but you read about a hypothetical person opening their mouth big? Bad news…
Luckily I managed to cover my yawn but keeping my lips/teeth together but opened up the inside of my mouth. Think I got away with it.
Careful, I literally pulled my neck last week doing that
I can yawn with my mouth closed.
You can stifle a yawn with your mouth closed. It isn’t a proper yawn if your mouth isn’t open.
🥱
You’re not tired, but you saw a post about yawning? Well, guess what.
You are now yawning manually.
Wtf
Just reading this made me yawn.
same! what is this WITCHERY!?1
oh gods dammit fuck aaaaall y’aaaaaall.
Yawn
Co2
Isn’t the leading theory that yawning is more about cooling down the brain temp rather than a lack of oxygen or buildup of CO2?
Yeah, you are correct. There are several reasons. :)
Which does nothing to explain why it’s “contagious”.
I thought the idea was that back when we were in settlements, keeping watch out into the dark, the yawn would happen to a sentry if nothing was going on and would subconsciously signal to other humans, even the watch dogs that " nothing is going on, all is well" then spreading throughout the camp as sort of a psychic link, literally conveying information at the speed of light to anyone who can see you.
At least that’s what some article I read had to say about it
I’d say for empathy and humans showing connection by yawning when others do.
What? You’re hungry? Well, I’ll just make you yawn
Apparently there isn’t much consensus on what the actual reason(s) are for yawning. Apparently fish yawn though, so that’s cool.
Have you seen a stork yawn? They push their spine out through their mouth
Isn’t it a social signal, apebrain talking?
It seems like it helps the brain switch modes (from low activity to high and from high activity to low). So yawning could help prepare the brain to pay attention to something important, as well as wind down for the evening. Hence both morning and evening yawns.
The contagious aspect could be as simple as “Oh, you’re changing modes? I should get ready to do the same.”
Solitary animals yawn too. Don’t if they can catch yawns, or how to test it.
Supplying oxygen to brain before task, reused in ape for social?
My entirely uneducated guess would be that its some, very basal, ancient, basically gasping compulsion, that… just never quite fully got patched out by the subsequent tens of millions of years of evolution.
Sort of the behavioral version of vestigal limb, way down at some fundamental nervous system level.
Are there any other involuntary social signals?
….erections?
I do prefer to let my erection do the talking.
^ -me to the police officer who pulled me over and asked if I knew how fast I was going.
Name checks out
… anyone who is naturally expressive and has genuine, authentic responses that go against whatever current sociocultural norms are?
Hey, popular person told a dumb, offensive joke, that validates my internal insecurities by projecting derision outward onto some kind of minority group!
(Face twists up into disgust, shock, and maybe pity)
WTF is wrong with you, popular person is funny! We hate you now!
Body language in general.
Dogs wag their tails in order to spread their happy pheromones by waving furiously. They unconsciously want everyone to know they are having a good time. When they are scared, they tuck their tail between their legs in order not to spread their stress pheromones by moving the air around their glands.
Best I can find, the 20 “most argued” reasons for yawning, at least the 20 most in 1999

Increase alertness
Decrease alertness
lmao
















