# Do you sigh? Are you aware of it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788 "2019-05-10T17:31:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/1 "2019-05-10T17:31:55Z")
Apparently when I am bored, irritated, impatient, etc., I have a habit of inhaling/exhaling loudly through my nose. I was never aware that I did that - instead, I thought in certain situations I was doing a great job of masking my boredom/impatience by sitting/standing quietly with a neutral expression on my face. One day we attended some horrendous presentation in a friend’s home. The next day, my wife was telling our kids about it, and while she agreed with me that it was horrible, she said, “What made it worse was that all the while your father was making that noise he makes.” I said, “WTF are you talking about? I don’t make any noise.” To which my kids responded in unison by inhaling and exhaling loudly - and laughing uproariously at my expense. Had to admit, it was a fair cop. To this day, I’m absolutely unaware of doing it, yet my family members often call me on it. Usually they are right - it happens in a situation where I’m bored and just trying to make it through until I can exit. Any ways you unintentionally express your boredom or impatience? Are you able to tolerate boring shit w/o conveying your boredom? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/2 "2019-05-10T17:47:11Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > The next day, my wife was telling our kids about it, and while she agreed with me that it was horrible, she said, “What made it worse was that all the while your father was making that noise he makes.” I said, “WTF are you talking about? I don’t make any noise.” To which my kids responded in unison by inhaling and exhaling loudly - and laughing uproariously at my expense. Had to admit, it was a fair cop. Coulda been worse. Your kids coulda made a farting noise. If I’m dubious about something somebody’s telling me, apparently I lift my right eyebrow, ala Mr Spock. I even have a baby picture of me doing it. I’ve also been told I bite my lips when I’m worried. But when I’m bored? No sound or gesture that I’m aware of. And I do get bored. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/3 "2019-05-10T17:49:33Z")
[sigh] Yes. Yes I do. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/4 "2019-05-10T17:50:02Z")
Yes, I sigh, and I’m apparently unaware I’m doing it. I’ve pissed my gf off a few times but I swear she’s imagining things. ETA: It has gotten to the point that if I realize I’m bored by what my gf is saying, I’ll _work hard_ at not sighing. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/5 "2019-05-10T18:15:34Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > … I even have a baby picture of me doing it. … To hijack my own thread, I LOVE when you can see an adult’s personality in baby pics. We are adamant that we can see certain attributes of each of our 3 kids in baby pics. Even our stupid dog - he tends to give us this sideways glance, “Are you SERIOUS?” Sure enough, in a pic we took when we picked him up as a puppy, the son of a bitch (literally) is giving us side-eye! 😃 Re: sighing - I’m glad I’m not alone. Just sorta deflates me, when I think I’m doing such a good job of hiding my boredom and appearing neurtral… :o ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/6 "2019-05-10T18:38:22Z")
As far as I know I don’t sigh. (For what that’s worth, which I suppose isn’t much.) Of course, it’s not like I give it a chance - when I’m bored you’ll definitely know it. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/7 "2019-05-10T18:51:43Z")
I put both sighs and farts in the same category; and prefer to exude them silently over decades, if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/8 "2019-05-10T18:54:53Z")
An ex-girlfriend told me I do, even though I could swear I’m utterly silent. She had a habit of insisting that I join her as she perused Facebook, and look at this or that meme, watch this or that video. I don’t use facebook, find all that stuff she looks at unbearably inane, but I try to look interested because I knew it was important to her. By “try”, I mean a minute or two here or there, not 30 or 40 minutes or more. Same with the “reality” TV shows she liked. As with the facebook crap, after small doses she could sense impatient derision by the way I breathed and the look of my face, which I swear I was doing my damnedest to not to openly display my distaste. I never was any good at poker… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/9 "2019-05-10T21:13:41Z")
My wife insists that I sigh at boring events. I can only hope that no else notices. She knows my moods and body language all too well. I can’t ever fool her anymore. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/10 "2019-05-10T21:34:57Z")
I have a different problem with sighs. It’s the way I breathe. I take relatively shallow breaths most of the time and then occasionally will take a very deep breath that comes out as a loud sigh. I never knew I did this until several years ago when one of my friends told me that when our group of friends started hanging out, everyone thought I was so mysterious because I was doing the sighing thing. Now I’m pretty aware of it but occasionally at work someone around me will ask if I’m ok. Yes, everything is fine, just me breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/11 "2019-05-11T18:18:33Z")
Someone once asked Raymond Burr why he took deep heavy breaths (sighs) so often. He replied: _“To stay alive”_ I sigh often, although I’m not always aware of it, and not usually out of boredom. More like (mild) exasperation. Like when my wife is watching one of her reality shows that I find inane. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/12 "2019-05-11T18:38:13Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > One day we attended some horrendous presentation in a friend’s home. I’m curious. If it’s OK to ask; what sort of presentation, and about what? ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/13 "2019-05-11T18:55:57Z")
I sigh, but it’s more at myself than out of boredom. Suppose I’ve spent 30 minutes working on a problem, and then realise there’s a 5 minute solution? Prepare to hear a big sigh. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/14 "2019-05-12T01:06:04Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Apparently when I am bored, irritated, impatient, etc., I have a habit of inhaling/exhaling loudly through my nose. I was never aware that I did that - instead, I thought in certain situations I was doing a great job of masking my boredom/impatience by sitting/standing quietly with a neutral expression on my face. > > One day we attended some horrendous presentation in a friend’s home. The next day, my wife was telling our kids about it, and while she agreed with me that it was horrible, she said, “What made it worse was that all the while your father was making that noise he makes.” I said, “WTF are you talking about? I don’t make any noise.” To which my kids responded in unison by inhaling and exhaling loudly - and laughing uproariously at my expense. Had to admit, it was a fair cop. > > To this day, I’m absolutely unaware of doing it, yet my family members often call me on it. Usually they are right - it happens in a situation where I’m bored and just trying to make it through until I can exit. > > Any ways you unintentionally express your boredom or impatience? Are you able to tolerate boring shit w/o conveying your boredom? Could be worse, I get unbearably sleepy when extremely bored. I’m excited by the prospect of not spending the holidays with inlaws this year, being awake for the entire event and not fighting about it during or after, now that I’m divorced. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/15 "2019-05-12T03:22:34Z")
No sigh, but I’ve got a Marge Simpson growl thing going on whenever I get frustrated. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/16 "2019-05-12T11:35:10Z")
No, I don’t sigh. I do not snore, either. :dubious: mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/17 "2019-05-12T12:29:19Z")
I usually just SAY “Sigh.” Charlie Brown style. Sigh. It’s easier. And less ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/18 "2019-05-12T13:15:41Z")
What’s really bad is when you and your significant other sigh _simultaneously_. Mrs. J. and I do this more often than could be accounted for by chance. ♩ ♫ Married too long…♪ ♬ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/19 "2019-05-12T13:21:12Z")
Yes I do. More of a huff than a sigh, I think, but as I get older and my patience wears thin more rapidly, I have noticed an increase in vocalisms and tells. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-sigh-are-you-aware-of-it/833788/20 "2019-05-17T06:58:39Z")
When I’m at work, I sigh all the time. I sigh like I’m getting a cash bonus for every sigh. And I would love to do it less often, because I can’t imagine the people I work with particularly enjoy it, but when the wretched computer system I’m expected to wring miracles from five days a week has slowed to a crawl for the hundredth time that shift, it’s damned hard to suppress. I have to relieve the tension somehow. I expect to set a world record for sighing next month when we shift to a new system, because you KNOW that’s totally going to go off without a hitch. God help me.