Curious Kids: Why do I need to yawn when someone else yawns?

By Johanna Simkin, Senior Curator of Human Biology and Medicine, Museums Victoria Research Institute

Why do people yawn while seeing other people who yawn? —Mithra, age 7, Chennai

Yawning happens when you open your mouth, take a deep breath and take in air without even thinking about it. You might be tired, bored or waking up. Most people yawn six to 23 times a day – even animals yawn!

You may have noticed that you often yawn after you see someone else yawn. This is called “contagious yawning”.

Contagious yawning feels automatic,…

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