Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentDiagnosisWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Diagnosis
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Yawning, the involuntary act of opening your mouth, taking a deep breath, and exhaling, is the body’s natural response to being tired or bored.But yawning that happens excessively (or more often than usual) could indicate an underlying health issue.
This article discusses the potential causes behind yawning more than usual.
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Symptoms of Excessive Yawning
It’s common to yawn several times a day, typically when you wake up and head to bed. Yawning is the body’s response to feelingsleepyor even bored. It can also be prompted involuntarily when youwitness other people yawn, often referred to as “contagious” yawning.
Though there’s no set number of yawns per day, some researchers suggest routinely yawning more than three times within 15 minutes (when there is no apparent cause like a lack of sleep or boredom) would be considered excessive.
Excessive yawning includes yawning when you’re nottired, you’re not bored, and you’re not seeing, hearing, or sensing someone else yawn.
Why We Yawn?Experts don’t fully understand why humans yawn—outside of the theories that it usually happens when we’re tired or bored. It may be linked tosocial cuesand certain bodily functions likebrain temperature regulation.It’s considered to be an unconsciousreflex, which means it’s an automatic body movement or response.
Why We Yawn?
Experts don’t fully understand why humans yawn—outside of the theories that it usually happens when we’re tired or bored. It may be linked tosocial cuesand certain bodily functions likebrain temperature regulation.It’s considered to be an unconsciousreflex, which means it’s an automatic body movement or response.
Causes of Excessive Yawning
The most common causes of excessive yawning includesleep disorders, medication side effects, and certain health conditions.
Sleep Disorders
Not getting enough sleep orsleep deprivationcan cause excessive yawning. It’s a good idea to check with a healthcare provider if you’re constantly feeling fatigued or sleepy during the day because you may not realize you have a sleep disorder.
Medication Side Effects
Certain types of medications can cause excessive yawning. This is linked to how some drugs interact with chemicals in the brain, prompting you to feel tired or yawn more than usual.It may also be the result of a medication lowering your breathing rate.
Health Conditions
Neurological conditions that affect the brain (orvagus nerve), such asmultiple sclerosis (MS),Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy, may prompt excessive yawning, likely due to how they affect the body’s temperature regulation.Additionally, anxiety can affect the respiratory system, heart, and energy levels, leading to yawning orshortness of breath. More rarely, excessive yawning can be a symptom of a brain tumor,asthma, heart issues, or stroke.
What Medications Can Cause Excessive Yawning?
Several different types of drugs are linked to yawning more than usual. They include:
Yawning isn’t considered a serious adverse reaction, so it’s not usually listed as a side effect in the medication’s drug summary. This is why it’s important to let a healthcare provider know if you believe any medications may trigger excessive yawning.
How to Treat Excessive Yawning
Treatment for excessive yawning will depend on the cause behind it. Your healthcare provider may recommend the following:
It’s important to consult a healthcare provider first before making any changes to your prescription medication routine.
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Yawning?
Though there aren’t any specific tests to diagnose excessive yawning, some diagnostic tools are available for healthcare providers to help uncover why you’re yawning more than usual.
To determine what may be causing the excessive yawning, your healthcare provider may order one or more of the following tests:
Other tests or specialist visits may be recommended, too, if the results are inconclusive.
The act of yawning is a normal reflex and usually isn’t a medical emergency. But you should call your healthcare provider if you notice:
It’s a good idea to keep track of and share any other symptoms you notice besides excessive yawning, such as fatigue or dizziness.
Summary
Yawning when you’re sleepy or bored is common. Constantly yawning without any of those triggers may signify an underlying health concern. Excessive yawning can result from a sleep disorder, the use of certain medications, and (less commonly) the symptom of a neurological or other condition. Check with a healthcare provider if you notice you’re yawning more than usual.
A Word From Verywell
Though several causes can trigger excessive yawning, it’s natural to think about how much sleep you get. Underlying causes could be twofold, as health conditions like anxiety oftenaffect our sleep, which could prompt yawning. It’s important to note and monitor symptoms (like excessive yawning) that are unusual for you and check with a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked QuestionsSeveral reasons for yawning more than usual include sleep issues, medication side effects, and underlying conditions. Check with a healthcare provider if you notice you’re yawning when you’re not tired or bored.It can. Because anxiety affects the respiratory system, energy levels, and the heart, anxiety may cause symptoms like feeling breathless and yawning more.Learn MoreWhat Is an Anxiety Disorder?Several different drug classes can cause you to yawn more than usual. These include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids,dopamine agonists, and medications used inanesthesia.Learn MoreCan Medication Cause Sleep Apnea?
Several reasons for yawning more than usual include sleep issues, medication side effects, and underlying conditions. Check with a healthcare provider if you notice you’re yawning when you’re not tired or bored.
It can. Because anxiety affects the respiratory system, energy levels, and the heart, anxiety may cause symptoms like feeling breathless and yawning more.Learn MoreWhat Is an Anxiety Disorder?
It can. Because anxiety affects the respiratory system, energy levels, and the heart, anxiety may cause symptoms like feeling breathless and yawning more.
Learn MoreWhat Is an Anxiety Disorder?
Several different drug classes can cause you to yawn more than usual. These include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids,dopamine agonists, and medications used inanesthesia.Learn MoreCan Medication Cause Sleep Apnea?
Several different drug classes can cause you to yawn more than usual. These include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids,dopamine agonists, and medications used inanesthesia.
Learn MoreCan Medication Cause Sleep Apnea?
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Camargo CHF, Walusinski O.Yawning in neurology: a review.ArqNeuropsiquiatr. 2018 Jul;76(7):473-480. doi:10.1590/0004-282X20180057The Sleep Foundation.Why do you yawn?McDonnell A, Pratibhu P, Natteru P, et al.Excessive yawning as an ictal manifestation of post-stroke seizures.Neurology.Apr 2021;96(15):2150.Gupta S, Mittal S.Yawning and its physiological significance.Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013;3(1):11-5. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.112230MedlinePlus.Yawning - excessive.Sleep Foundation.Excessive yawning: What does it mean and how to treat it.Krestel H, Bassetti CL, Walusinski O.Yawning—Its anatomy, chemistry, role, and pathological considerations.Prog Neurobiol. 2018 Feb;161:61-78. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.11.003.Béné J, Bastides M, Auffret M, Gautier S.Serotonin and yawning: A possible adverse drug reaction during antidepressant therapy.Presse Med. 2014;43(10 Pt 1):1135-6. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2013.12.018Patatanian E, Williams NT.Drug-induced yawning–a review.Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Oct;45(10):1297-301. doi: 10.1345/aph.1Q255Nicotra A, Khalil NM, Owbridge P, Hakda M, Beitverda Y.Pathological yawning as an ictal seizure manifestation in the elderly.BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Oct 12;2012:bcr0120125618. doi:10.1136/bcr-01-2012-5618Baptist Health.What is excessive yawning?
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Camargo CHF, Walusinski O.Yawning in neurology: a review.ArqNeuropsiquiatr. 2018 Jul;76(7):473-480. doi:10.1590/0004-282X20180057The Sleep Foundation.Why do you yawn?McDonnell A, Pratibhu P, Natteru P, et al.Excessive yawning as an ictal manifestation of post-stroke seizures.Neurology.Apr 2021;96(15):2150.Gupta S, Mittal S.Yawning and its physiological significance.Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013;3(1):11-5. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.112230MedlinePlus.Yawning - excessive.Sleep Foundation.Excessive yawning: What does it mean and how to treat it.Krestel H, Bassetti CL, Walusinski O.Yawning—Its anatomy, chemistry, role, and pathological considerations.Prog Neurobiol. 2018 Feb;161:61-78. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.11.003.Béné J, Bastides M, Auffret M, Gautier S.Serotonin and yawning: A possible adverse drug reaction during antidepressant therapy.Presse Med. 2014;43(10 Pt 1):1135-6. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2013.12.018Patatanian E, Williams NT.Drug-induced yawning–a review.Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Oct;45(10):1297-301. doi: 10.1345/aph.1Q255Nicotra A, Khalil NM, Owbridge P, Hakda M, Beitverda Y.Pathological yawning as an ictal seizure manifestation in the elderly.BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Oct 12;2012:bcr0120125618. doi:10.1136/bcr-01-2012-5618Baptist Health.What is excessive yawning?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Camargo CHF, Walusinski O.Yawning in neurology: a review.ArqNeuropsiquiatr. 2018 Jul;76(7):473-480. doi:10.1590/0004-282X20180057The Sleep Foundation.Why do you yawn?McDonnell A, Pratibhu P, Natteru P, et al.Excessive yawning as an ictal manifestation of post-stroke seizures.Neurology.Apr 2021;96(15):2150.Gupta S, Mittal S.Yawning and its physiological significance.Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013;3(1):11-5. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.112230MedlinePlus.Yawning - excessive.Sleep Foundation.Excessive yawning: What does it mean and how to treat it.Krestel H, Bassetti CL, Walusinski O.Yawning—Its anatomy, chemistry, role, and pathological considerations.Prog Neurobiol. 2018 Feb;161:61-78. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.11.003.Béné J, Bastides M, Auffret M, Gautier S.Serotonin and yawning: A possible adverse drug reaction during antidepressant therapy.Presse Med. 2014;43(10 Pt 1):1135-6. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2013.12.018Patatanian E, Williams NT.Drug-induced yawning–a review.Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Oct;45(10):1297-301. doi: 10.1345/aph.1Q255Nicotra A, Khalil NM, Owbridge P, Hakda M, Beitverda Y.Pathological yawning as an ictal seizure manifestation in the elderly.BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Oct 12;2012:bcr0120125618. doi:10.1136/bcr-01-2012-5618Baptist Health.What is excessive yawning?
Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Camargo CHF, Walusinski O.Yawning in neurology: a review.ArqNeuropsiquiatr. 2018 Jul;76(7):473-480. doi:10.1590/0004-282X20180057
The Sleep Foundation.Why do you yawn?
McDonnell A, Pratibhu P, Natteru P, et al.Excessive yawning as an ictal manifestation of post-stroke seizures.Neurology.Apr 2021;96(15):2150.
Gupta S, Mittal S.Yawning and its physiological significance.Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013;3(1):11-5. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.112230
MedlinePlus.Yawning - excessive.
Sleep Foundation.Excessive yawning: What does it mean and how to treat it.
Krestel H, Bassetti CL, Walusinski O.Yawning—Its anatomy, chemistry, role, and pathological considerations.Prog Neurobiol. 2018 Feb;161:61-78. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.11.003.
Béné J, Bastides M, Auffret M, Gautier S.Serotonin and yawning: A possible adverse drug reaction during antidepressant therapy.Presse Med. 2014;43(10 Pt 1):1135-6. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2013.12.018
Patatanian E, Williams NT.Drug-induced yawning–a review.Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Oct;45(10):1297-301. doi: 10.1345/aph.1Q255
Nicotra A, Khalil NM, Owbridge P, Hakda M, Beitverda Y.Pathological yawning as an ictal seizure manifestation in the elderly.BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Oct 12;2012:bcr0120125618. doi:10.1136/bcr-01-2012-5618
Baptist Health.What is excessive yawning?
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