Fatigue, Boredom, Temperature Can Cause Yawning During Exercise

Yawning is an involuntary process in which you breathe in lot of air keeping your mouth wide open. The inhaled air is slowly exhaled out. During yawning, your eyes generally close and your eardrums stretch. Actually humans yawn before they are born. The fetus in womb yawns. Yawning is contagious, that is when you see a person yawning and you too will yawn.

It is an emphatic response. However, yawning during exercise may have some other reasons that may range from fatigue to stress produced because of physical exertion. Most causes of yawning are benign but some may be of medical concern. Hence if you are yawning too much during exercise or strenuous physical activity, be sure to consult your doctor to rule out serious medical problem.

Causes of yawning during exercise:

The reasons for yawning during workout or strenuous physical activity are as follows:

• Fatigue: Yawning can be a natural response of the body to fatigue or tiredness that may develop during exercise. It may be an indication that your body now needs rest. It may occur more frequently if you exercise after a busy work schedule or you have jet lag or you have overworked.
• Boredom: Often same workouts daily can be boring and this may be the cause for yawning. You may feel bored with your regular routine workouts. For example some people may get bored if they regularly follow treadmill exercise. In such situation, a person must opt for other exercise for time being where he has to concentrate.
• Raised brain temperature: Your brain temperature can rise when you perform strenuous physical activity or workout. One way your body tries to reduce temperature is through sweating. But if that does not suffice, body triggers a yawn. This increases intake of cool air into the lung and blood circulation besides increasing heart rate and blood circulation. This way your body tries to balance and regulate the temperature of brain during a workout.
• Medical conditions: Usually yawning is not a serious condition. However, too much yawning can indicate that your vagus nerve is stimulated frequently. A vasovagal reflex can lower blood pressure and the rate at which heart beats. Both these factors can be dangerous. Certain diseases can increase yawning when you are performing strenuous physical work or exercise in gym. Conditions such as diabetes, sleeplessness, anxiety and depression can trigger yawning while exercising.

How to overcome yawning during workouts:

There are several ways that you can try to overcome yawning while exercising.

• Keep a regular fix time of exercise. This will help to reduce yawning during exercise. It allows your body to get adjusted itself to exercise.
• Sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours at night. If your sleep is insufficient, you will feel bored and fatigued while exercising. Both these factors can trigger yawning.
• Try to change exercise regimen frequently. Routine workouts daily may make you feel bored and it may be the cause for yawning. Hence switch over to different sets of workouts where you need more concentration and focus.
• Drink cool water before exercising. You can also eat chilled fruits one hour before workouts. Both these healthy choices can reduce yawning while strenuous physical activity.
• Practice deep breathing or yoga if you are stressed or depressed.