Exercise shouldn't be boring, yet many people find it difficult stifling yawns during strenuous physical activity. While typically harmless, yawning during exercise can be an annoying hindrance or even sap your will to exercise, making you far more desirous of a nap than another set of crunches. Yet the exact reasons for yawning and what causes yawning during exercise remain somewhat of a mystery.
Significance
Many researchers believe yawning to be a way for the body to release carbon dioxide and fight off fatigue and drowsiness. The act of yawning lifts blood pressure and elevates heart rate, providing a quick boost to the entire system. Exercise can promote shallower breathing, meaning less oxygen intake and a buildup of carbon dioxide, theoretically resulting in increased yawning. However, numerous studies have failed to find any link between oxygen intake while exercising and an increase in yawning, according to Dr. Norma Nehren.
Considerations
Certain medications may increase the frequency of yawning. For example, antidepressants that affect dopamine or serotonin levels can trigger the condition, but these medications typically spark yawning all day long and not just while exercising. Yawning can also be contagious. Researchers believe yawning used to serve as a means of communication for our ancient ancestors, signaling the beginning of an event or to coordinate group behavior. So if your training partners start yawning, you'll likely follow suit. Even merely thinking about yawning can start a yawning fit. If you enter into exercise trying not to yawn, you almost certainly will.
Prevention
While there's no set way to prevent yawning during exercise, your best bet may be to keep a healthy sleep schedule and get plenty of rest before your workouts. Although no definitive proof exists connecting oxygen levels to yawning frequency during exercise, you should still focus on maintaining regular breathing patterns while working out. Varying your exercise routines may also keep the mind occupied and offer a necessary distraction from yawning.
Warning
Excessive yawning during exercise, while usually nothing to worry about, may be a sign of anemia, a condition in which the body lacks sufficient red blood cells to carry oxygen. Yawning may also indicate a possible blood pressure disorder or even a potentially dangerous heart condition. If you notice yourself yawning more than normal, make an appointment with your physician and receive a thorough evaluation to remove all doubt.
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