RE: yawning and empathy.

[Guest guest]

Yes, Its an interesting idea to link

automatic and compulsive imitative yawning with an empathy; and then the

hypothesis that Autistics don’t do it. But I

dunno. I guess I’ll believe it when I see statistics

that can demonstrate it. I for one, certainly do yawn like

mad if I see others doing it, or even I suspect, if I hear it being talked

about. And I’m supposed to be Aspergers.

I’ll have a bit to say on Empathy in

another Post. The question about just what is the difference

between Empathy and Sympathy pops up regularly on this Board every twelve

months or so, I believe; and many of us put in our ten cents worth on it.

But for now, just one little thought or

observation. I’ve noticed that I don’t consistently

take in a big big breath whenever I yawn. Sometimes it is just a little

intake, that couldn’t possibly be refreshing my lungs in the way

postulated by tradition. What I do notice though, is that the

most significant thing that happens when I yawn is rather the wide stretching

of the open mouth, and often too, the vibrating or tremor of the whole mouth

and jaw that seems to accompany it. That actually seems to me to be

the big thing that my body is desperately wanting to do. It almost

appears like a physical exercise rather than a breathing process. The breath itself,

literally seems unimportant in the whole thing. Has

anyone else ever noticed this?

I might speculate and wonder if at heart,

the yawn is actually some sort of signal the body is giving out under certain

conditions. It causes one to pause, - to stretch, - and

ultimately to observe one’s physical and mental state. And

when happening in company it is one of those unconscious body language gestures

or signals that is (or might be) telling the world something. Telling you

that you are bored, tired, or whatever, and warning the rest of the company

about the same thing. It is clearly something that is terribly

difficult to stifle or hide. I find the only way to stop or

prevent it, is as unobtrusively as possible, to bring the hand up in contact

with the mouth or jaw, and press very hard. Much the same procedure

can sometimes help stifle a sneeze. (Though, if I recall

rightly, that might be better done by pressing the fingers hard against the

undersurface of the nose.)

Cheers,

Ron.

[Guest guest]

ron said:

Yes, Its an interesting idea to link automatic and compulsive imitative yawning with an empathy; and then the hypothesis that Autistics don’t do it. But I dunno. I guess I’ll believe it when I see statistics that can demonstrate it. I for one, certainly do yawn like mad if I see others doing it, or even I suspect, if I hear it being talked about. And I’m supposed to be Aspergers.

I’ll have a bit to say on Empathy in another Post. The question about just what is the difference between Empathy and Sympathy pops up regularly on this Board every twelve months or so, I believe; and many of us put in our ten cents worth on it.

But for now, just one little thought or observation. I’ve noticed that I don’t consistently take in a big big breath whenever I yawn. Sometimes it is just a little intake, that couldn’t possibly be refreshing my lungs in the way postulated by tradition.

me here: this is a good observation ron. yawning is a trigger to breathe out more.....to blow off excess CO2 that may have been building up in a person who is tired, resting and taking involuntary shallow breaths. The body responds to increased CO2 not low O2.

you said:

What I do notice though, is that the most significant thing that happens when I yawn is rather the wide stretching of the open mouth, and often too, the vibrating or tremor of the whole mouth and jaw that seems to accompany it. That actually seems to me to be the big thing that my body is desperately wanting to do. It almost appears like a physical exercise rather than a breathing process. The breath itself, literally seems unimportant in the whole thing. Has anyone else ever noticed this?

me here: yes i have...the associated jaw movements and muscle movements, often accompanied by stretching have an affect, in my own opinion of improving the flow of lymph around the body.

the lymph system can been seen as a system of parallel vessels in the body to the veins which transport around higher weight fatty molecular structures related to the immune system. there is no pump to this system only muscel contractions and valves. we stretch to help move this around our body.

you said:

I might speculate and wonder if at heart, the yawn is actually some sort of signal the body is giving out under certain conditions. It causes one to pause, - to stretch, - and ultimately to observe one’s physical and mental state. And when happening in company it is one of those unconscious body language gestures or signals that is (or might be) telling the world something. Telling you that you are bored, tired, or whatever, and warning the rest of the company about the same thing. It is clearly something that is terribly difficult to stifle or hide.

me here: yes it is, it is a necessary reflex. but in my opinion, not necessarily as a demonstration to others as to your state of mind but for reasons described above, it is physiological in my observation, but your behaviour observation is valid too. i just have a physiological view of it.

you said:

I find the only way to stop or prevent it, is as unobtrusively as possible, to bring the hand up in contact with the mouth or jaw, and press very hard. Much the same procedure can sometimes help stifle a sneeze. (Though, if I recall rightly, that might be better done by pressing the fingers hard against the undersurface of the nose.)

Cheers,

Ron.

me here:

36 m diagnosed AS

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