Why Do I Yawn During Yoga? Yawning stimulates the brain cells by increasing the blood flow to the brain. Read on to know more.

Yawning is an involuntary action that we all experience. Yawning helps wake up and stimulate our brain cells to work more efficiently and helps keep us awake and alert. However, one yawns when bored or tired, but why do I yawn during yoga?

Earlier, it was believed that we yawn to supply more oxygen to or body, especially our brains. However, studies have found that this is not the case. Changing the supply of oxygen, whether by increasing it or decreasing it, had had no impact on the frequency with which one yawns. There are many other factors at are theorized to lead to yawning while doing yoga or any other form of exercise. We would discuss these below.  

In this article, let us further look at

• Why do I yawn during yoga?
• What does it mean when you yawn while meditating?
• Health Benefits Of Yawning That May Surprise You
• Why do I yawn when I breathe deeply?
• Why can’t I stop Yawning when I work out?

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Why Do I Yawn During Yoga?

Some people start yawning when they start doing any physical activity, be it running, exercising, or just walking. Let us look at some reasons why we yawn while working out.

Tiredness

One of the most common reasons why people yawn while doing yoga is out of tiredness. After having a long and tiring day, doing yoga requires all your might. You could also feel tired if you’ve not had a good night’s sleep the previous night. Doing intense yoga postures when tired could make you yawn.

You Are Worried or Tensed

Many of us may not know this, but yawning is related to being tensed as well. Before getting into an intense or challenging yoga session, you might be feeling a bit anxious or worried about your performance. This however, could be beneficial, as yawning helps regulate the blood flow to your brain, improving your focus and concentration.

To Regulate Your Body Temperature

A study by Gallup and Eldakar has shown that when you yawn, the extra air that you inhale, lowers the body temperature. They show how yawning was triggered by a rapid increase in brain temperature, which fell immediately after yawning.

Your body temperature could have gone up as a result of the intensity of your yoga practice. If you are performing say advanced level Vinayasa Yoga or Hot Yoga, it would lead to an increase in your body’s core temperature. Thus, you may yawn as a response to cool down your body temperature.

Lack Of Interest

Sometimes you may not be interested in performing the same yoga asanas every day and even find it boring. This lack of interest sometimes leads to yawning. However, you can add variety to your yoga sessions or alternate between different forms of yoga to keep your interest up.

What Does It Mean When You Yawn While Meditating?

Meditation helps in healing and clearing your mind. But do you know why you yawn while meditating? Is it because you find meditation boring?

Well, quite the contrary. While meditating, your brain and body begins to relax. When you yawn while mediating, you release stress and exhaustion from your body. And this is actually a good thing. For example, while meditating, you may yawn quite often as you move into deep breathing, healing, and relaxation.

So, yawing is actually good for your health as it releases all the negative energy from the body and lets you balance your mind and body.

You don’t need to stop yawning. However, it will eventually stop as the issue which causes yawning neutralizes.

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Health Benefits Of Yawning That May Surprise You

Most of the time, yawning is seen as a sign of boredom and fatigue. But have you ever wondered if yawing can benefit your health? Let’s look at how yawning can help your brain and health in some ways.

Increases Blood Flow

When you yawn, you draw large amount of cool air, which helps regulate the blood flow in the body and cools down your brain. This further improves your mental efficiency.

It Helps Reduce Stress, Cortisol, And Fatigue

Some studies suggest that a large amount of cortisol in the body causes yawning. This is because when you are under stress, cortisol, which is a stress hormone is produced in the body. So yawning helps reduce this stress and fatigue in the body.

Regulates Oxygen Supply To The Brain

Yawning helps increase the oxygen supply to your brain. So whenever you yawn, you take in larger quantities of oxygen. Thus, regulating the oxygen supply in the body.

Answers To Some Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do I Yawn When I Breathe Deeply

According to some research, yawning helps cool down the brain. When you take deep breaths while yawning, the temperature of your brain goes down immediately. So when you see people yawning at the gym, it just means their body is trying to cool things down.

Why Can’t I Stop Yawning While I Workout?

There is nothing wrong with yawning during your workout. Yawning helps cool your body and increase your focus and concentration. Moreover, yawning is an involuntary action of the body. 

But if you are yawning excessively, it can be related to some diseases like liver failure, epilepsy, or any other disease. So if it happens to you, consult your doctor and get it checked.

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Why Do I Yawn During Yoga? All Forms Of Exercise Reduce Oxygen Level In The Body, Causing Yawning

Sometimes low oxygen levels in the body cause yawning. However, yawning is an involuntary human mechanism that wakes up your brain with some cool air. This stimulates your brain cells to work efficiently.

Sometimes we often neglect how we breathe as this is what we do naturally. But correct breathing enhances your yoga sessions and further improves your physical well-being.

Just make sure to take proper rest while exercising or doing yoga.

Incase you are yawning as you read this post, remember that yawning relieves stress, is contagious and the post is not boring!