Excessive yawning: Here's why you might be yawning frequently
What's the story
Yawning is an involuntary response to tiredness or boredom.
It is natural to yawn when you get tired or when you are bored. However, if you are yawning too much, you may be dealing with other health conditions.
Yawning is also contagious; we yawn when we see, hear, or even think about yawns.
Read on to know the possible causes behind excessive yawning.
Lack of sleep
Sleep debt
The prime cause of excessive yawning in most cases is sleep debt.
Sleep debt is the amount of sleep a person is deprived of over time.
Not getting quality sleep results in exhaustion and weariness, and this manifests as yawning.
Excessive yawning can also be a symptom of sleep disorders like narcolepsy, insomnia, parasomnia, sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorders, etc.
Medication
Side effects of medication
In some cases, the medicines you take can be a possible cause behind your excessive yawning.
This happens especially if these medications cause exhaustion and drowsiness.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are used to treat depression and anxiety disorders, can cause excessive yawning.
Other drugs such as opioids, dopaminergic agents, benzodiazepines, and induction agents are the main pharmacologic classes associated with yawning.
Health condition
Neurological conditions
Sometimes, neurological conditions can make you yawn frequently.
Those who suffer from epilepsy, migraines, multiple sclerosis, etc. may feel a temporary relief in their symptoms when they yawn.
For example, in epilepsy, the brain makes you yawn to reduce the harmful effects of seizures. Even excessively worrying can trigger yawning.
Worrying affects your respiratory system, heart, and blood pressure, which manifests as frequent yawning.
Tea and Coffee
Caffeine and nicotine withdrawal
Quitting caffeine or nicotine can also trigger excessive yawning.
Among those who are habitual coffee and tea drinkers, even a short-term caffeine or nicotine withdrawal is enough to cause signs of caffeine deprivation.
Studies suggest that caffeine or nicotine withdrawal symptoms like excessive yawning generally start showing up 12 to 24 hours afterward and can last for more than a week.
Matters of heart
Heart problems and stroke
Sometimes, excessive yawning can be a sign that you are about to approach a heart attack.
Yawning could also be a warning sign of bleeding around the heart.
It may also get triggered by a brain stroke in an attempt to drag down both the brain's and the body's temperature.
If you notice other signs like breathlessness, giddiness, or nausea, consult a doctor immediately.