Consistently consuming caffeine may cause you to become physically dependent on caffeine. If you abruptly halt your caffeine consumption, you may experience several withdrawal effects. One of these effects is yawning, which is brought on by the fatigue associated with the caffeine withdrawal. If you are particularly concerned about your yawning or any other physical reaction to caffeine withdrawal, contact your doctor for advice.
Fatigue and Yawning
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it speeds up the functions of the central nervous system and provides increased energy. When your body becomes used to the caffeine providing this energy, you will experience low energy, drowsiness or fatigue when the caffeine consumption is suddenly halted. Yawning is often associated with tiredness and fatigue, but yawning may also help cool the brain and keep the body alert, suggests a study published in 2007 in the May issue of "Evolutionary Magazine."
Time Frame
The symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, including yawning, most often occur within a day after stopping your consumption of caffeine. The total length of time withdrawal symptoms last depends on a variety of factors, including how long you used caffeine, how much caffeine you are used to consuming and individual biological factors. Most caffeine withdrawal symptoms only last a few days and go away on their own, notes the American Heart Association. However, severe cases of caffeine withdrawal may last up to two weeks, notes the Aetna InteliHealth website.
Treatment
While some other caffeine withdrawal symptoms may be treated with medications, there is no medical treatment for yawning. However, getting extra sleep may help. Consider taking an extra nap, going to bed earlier or sleeping in later for a few days until the symptoms of your caffeine withdrawal pass.
Other Withdrawal Symptoms
The most common symptom associated with caffeine withdrawal is headaches. According to the Aetna InteliHealth website, about 50 percent of people who regularly use caffeine experience headaches when they abruptly stop consuming it. An over-the-counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may help ease the pain of the headache. However, always check the label of the pain medication before taking it, as some headache medications contain caffeine, which may cause rebound headaches when the medication wears off. Other symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include irritability, depression, anxiety or difficulty concentrating.
Considerations
Caffeine withdrawal can be prevented. Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume each day, so your body can taper off its dependence on the drug slowly. Start by only reducing your daily caffeine consumption a small amount, then keep reducing your consumption until you are no longer consuming caffeinated beverages. For example, if your daily caffeine consumption is 500 mg of caffeine a day, gradually reduce this amount by 50 mg each day until you are completely caffeine free.
References
- "Evoluntionary Psychology"; Yawning as a Brain Cooling Mechanism: Nasal Breathing and Forehead ... ; Andrew C. Gallup; May 2007
- Aetna InteliHealth; Caffeine: Performance, Addiction and Myth; Michael Craig Miller; August 2005
- Cleveland Clinic: Caffeine and Headache
- American Heart Association: Caffeine
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