(Image Source: Fox News)

BY KIM ST. ONGE

Ever been talking to someone and they just can’t stop yawning?  A new study says-- take it as a compliment! WDIV explains.

“When you’re talking to someone and they yawn, you may think that it’s a sign that they’re bored or not interested in what you’re saying. In fact, it could be the opposite. Yawning may actually be a way that they signal they empathize with you.”

Researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy studied about 100 adults on three different continents for a year and found yawns are more contagious among family and friends than acquaintances or strangers.

So if the age-old excuse of “I’m tired” may not always be true, what gives us that irresistible urge to yawn? A writer for Web MD says--it’s about how close you feel to someone.

“Seeing another person yawning activates a complex network of brain regions related to movement, imitation, social behavior, and empathy. The brain networks of the person who sees a yawn by someone they care about may then become overstimulated and lead to a yawning response.”

According to the study, we don’t start catching yawns until age 4 or 5. A writer for Made for Mums gives us the details.

“Children simply can’t develop contagious yawning until they’ve learned to understand another’s emotion.”

The Daily Mail reports--yawning isn’t just contagious with humans.

“Most animals, including snakes and fish yawn, but it’s only contagious in humans, chimps and dogs. Top of the yawners was a Border Collie, fitting in five yawns in the space of a few minutes.”

According to the study, gender and race have no effect on how often we catch yawns.