This article discusses the potential causes behind yawning more than usual.
Yawning is the bodys response to feelingsleepyor even bored.
It can also be prompted involuntarily when youwitness other people yawn, often referred to as contagious yawning.
PeopleImages/ Getty Images
Why We Yawn?
Sleep Disorders
Not getting enough sleep orsleep deprivationcan cause excessive yawning.
Medication Side Effects
Certain types of medications can cause excessive yawning.
What Medications Can Cause Excessive Yawning?
Several different types of drugs are linked to yawning more than usual.
How to Treat Excessive Yawning
Treatment for excessive yawning will depend on the cause behind it.
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Yawning?
Summary
Yawning when you’re sleepy or bored is common.
Constantly yawning without any of those triggers may signify an underlying health concern.
Check with a healthcare provider if you notice you’re yawning more than usual.
Underlying causes could be twofold, as health conditions like anxiety oftenaffect our sleep, which could prompt yawning.
Check with a healthcare provider if you notice you’re yawning when you’re not tired or bored.
Several different drug classes can cause you to yawn more than usual.
These include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids,dopamine agonists, and medications used inanesthesia.
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?
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.YawningIts anatomy, chemistry, role, and pathological considerations.Prog Neurobiol.
2018 Feb;161:61-78. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.11.003.
doi:10.1136/bcr-01-2012-5618
Baptist Health.What is excessive yawning?