This Is How To Stop Yawning

Dr Edward W Lee noted the case of a girl, in 1888 USA, who yawned non-stop for 5 weeks.

While you might not be close to that, you might still feel you yawn too much. It can even be worrying. You might think you have a medical condition, chronic fatigue, or stress.

When you're talking to someone - your boss, partner, parent - and you can't stop yawning, it can look like you're bored. Quite embarrassing to say the least!

You might wonder how to stop yawning. Why do I yawn so much? Why do we yawn, anyway?

We can help with that. We'll cover what it is, what causes it, and how to stop yawning. Read on for your guide to excessive yawning.

What Are the Causes of Yawning?

A stretch of the jaw and a long, deep intake of air. Cue watery eyes and staring co-workers. Enter the mysterious world of why do we yawn. 

Science is in several camps on this one. It is more or less a medical mystery why we yawn. Try explaining that to your boss.

Oxygen Intake

There is a theory that yawning helps the body take in more air. It is a sharp intake of air that stretches the lungs, after all. Some people yawn while they exercise, which fits.

Air Pressure

Scientists have found blood oxygen levels stay the same after a yawn, so it is more complicated than that.

Some studies found people tend to yawn during takeoff on a plane. Yawning could link to blood and ear pressure. Ever feel your ears pop after yawning on a plane?

Contagious Yawns

There is the social contagion theory. This says that people watching others yawn will do so themselves.

Studies have linked it to empathy and friendship. Some scientific journals dispute this claim. It's complicated.

Pure Boredom

Boredom seems to cause it too, as we all know. Ever sit through a boring lecture or meeting? Scientists studying yawns found people yawn more with repetitive stimuli. 

Plain Tiredness

Tiredness can cause yawning and is the most common link. We can yawn in the morning, late at night, and after a heavy meal. These all link to fatigue and rest.

Keeping It Cool

Then there is the cooling theory. This hypothesizes that we yawn to cool ourselves. This serves to keep brain temperature at optimal levels by inhaling air cooler than our core temperature.

This study found that people yawn less in the winter months than in summer. Any of you who have ever sat in a hot office will relate to this.

What Is Excessive Yawning?

On average, most of us yawn 5 to 20 times a day. A yawn can last about 5 seconds. We tend to assume we need sleep when we do it.

We could also define excessive yawning as any number you think is too much.

What Causes Excessive Yawning?

We can say that excessive yawning, in most cases, has the same causes as regular yawning. If we yawn when we are tired, we could assume that we do it more when we are exhausted. That holds up, to a point.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can cause excessive yawning. There are a lot of these: sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy, to name a few. Your doctor may prescribe medication for these, which brings us to our next point.

Medication

Medication can cause excessive yawning. The obvious ones are sleeping medication, like chloral hydrate, clomethiazole, antihistamines, and barbituates. Natural sleeping supplements, like melatonin, are in this group.

Anti-anxiety medication, like benzodiazepines, can make you drowsy and disaffected. SSRIs and tricyclic anti-depressants can have similar effects. Tell your doctor about your excessive yawning if you take any of these.

Diet and Deficiencies

Another cause is diet. Some of us have intolerances and allergies we are clueless about. If your symptoms are mild, you may only notice the fatigue.

A lack of B vitamins, vitamins C, amino acids, magnesium, and almost any vitamin or mineral can make us tired. The body works best in balance. An absence of its building blocks can leave us worn out.

Never try to remedy a nutritional disorder yourself. Consult with a doctor, get a blood test, and follow their advice.

Medical Causes of Excessive Yawning

Undiagnosed diabetes can cause fatigue. Anaemia can make you tired. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can leave us exhausted and yawning a lot.

Be wary of self-diagnosing any medical condition.

There is a plethora of 'medical' help online. Cue cyberchondria and frantic web searches. Without medical help, you are shooting in the dark.

Ruling out medical causes, let's take a look at some tips for stopping yawning.

How to Stop Yawning

There are times when yawning is awkward. It's involuntary, and like most such things, strikes when we least want it to. There are a few things you can do to stop yawning so much.

Cool Down

Remember when we said that temperature and yawning link? Well, by reducing our ambient temperature, we tell our bodies to stop yawning. Some offices set their ambient temperature to be a bit chilly.

Bite Down

You could liken this to stopping a sneeze, or holding your breath.

By performing a strong voluntary action, we can reduce or stop an involuntary one. Clench your jaw to stifle a yawn. Give it a try.

Eat Well

A balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, can give us the nutrients we need. We don't recommend supplements. But boosting the number of greens, legumes, and healthy fats in our diet can work wonders for mood and fatigue.

Get Some Exercise

Getting fit is one of the best ways to stop yawning. Yoga, jogging, ball sports, martial arts, pilates—they're all good.

Even low-intensity exercise, like walking, can reduce your fatigue by 65%. Exercise detoxifies and oxygenates our bodies: less fatigue, fewer yawns.

Get Proper Rest

You knew this one was on its way. Create a proper sleep area. This needs a cool temperature, a firm mattress, calming decor, and scents.

These all help us sleep. Set a regular sleep routine. Keep your hands off the snooze button.

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Want to Get the Sleep You Need?

We hope our how to stop yawning guide did its job.

Yawning is natural. In some cases, we can remedy the causes of yawning. One of the best remedies is proper sleep.

Quality bed frames and mattresses are essential to quality sleep. They support our bodies while we replenish our energy. 

At MyBedFrames, our team are experts at helping you choose the right bed frames and mattresses for you. We're always up for a chat.

Get in touch today.