the science of nice

Here’s a thing: yawning makes you a nicer person. Or, technically, being nice means you’re more prone to contagious yawns. Research has shown that people who stretch their jaws after others score higher on empathy tests – meaning they have a greater capacity to share the emotions of others. So a yawn might not always mean, “I’m tired.” Sometimes it means, “Hello there, fellow human being with thoughts and feelings. I know what you’re going through. Give me a back rub while I yawn some more.”

OK, maybe not the last bit, but a few random back rubs might actually serve you well because – as Mum used to say and nobody ever believes – it is indeed better to give than