# Yawning whilst anxious



## shulgin1000 (May 23, 2005)

Do any of you get this. If i'm in an anxious state - or more accurately - if i'm slipping into an episode of anxiety, I yawn. This is followed straight after by the eyes watering up.

Can anyone here identify with this? Is it specific to a certain type of anxiety related condition??


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## Attica! Attica! (Oct 8, 2008)

haha, yes, I do! I didn't know anyone else did this. I guess I yawn to cover up my anxiety, thinking "If they think I'm tired, I have an excuse not to talk much" or something.


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## Ms Deer (May 30, 2004)

I found this on the Anxiety/Panic Attack Journal and thought it might be helpful.

Excessive Yawning & Breathing Problems
Posted by Jon

Excessive yawning is often a symptom of generalized anxiety. Over the past several weeks, I received dozens of e-mails about breathing difficulties and excessive yawning, and in a way, it's strange that I would receive so many e-mails from people suffering with these problems, because I too once had the excessive yawning symptoms.In my case, I would feel like I could not get a deep enough breath, and consequently, would continue trying to you yawn and take in more and more air. Like many people that e-mail me, I felt that I was probably the only person in the world with this strange anxiety symptom. Obviously, now I know much better&#8230;

I have heard from so many different people from all parts of the world with this type of anxiety symptom, so these days it is very clear to me that I was not alone. If you or someone you care about is dealing with this uncomfortable yawning-type anxiety, or feel like you cannot get a deep enough breath, the first thing to do is to see your doctor. But if your doctor gives you a clean bill of health - as mine did after many, many tests - then you may very well be dealing with the same type of anxiety symptom that I had.

http://easycalm.com/blog/excessive-yawning-breathing-problems/


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## shulgin1000 (May 23, 2005)

Thanks for your input attice/ms. deer. In my case, its not really a voluntary thing. I try to suppress it as much as I can as I know that the second I do, my eyes water.
@ms deer - I hadn't associated with not breathing deep enough but perhaps this still applies in my case,...i'm just not concious of it.


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## Medicine Wheel (Nov 17, 2008)

Also common with me, i yawn ever couple mins and people ask me if im crying cus of my eyes.


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## Ms Deer (May 30, 2004)

Proper breathing is essential to all aspects of health. Too many of us have forgotten how to do it. Because of frantic lifestyles, we get caught up in the vicious cycle of anxiety but practicing calming breathing techniques, helps us break that cycle.So, don't hold your breath. It is meant to be EXHALED as well as INHALED.
====================

Feel better through breathing better

Changing your breathing is one of the quickest and most effective ways of changing how you feel.

This section provides a comprehensive range of ways of changing your mood, especially of calming yourself, which can be used anywhere, anytime.

The great thing about having a range of breathing 'tools' is that you have something practical to do when feeling anxious... rather than simply remaining passive and fretting or fuming.

http://www.pe2000.com/anx-breathe.htm

Here's a search page from Google about "breathing and anxiety" with about six million sites addressing this issue:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=breathing+anxiety&aq=6&oq=breathing+a


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## Little Willow (Oct 26, 2008)

Haha
I do this a lot, and my mum, who is a dog trainer, always calls me her little puppy because dogs yawn when they're anxious. It's natural


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## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

I yawn when I'm not tired. I'm not sure if it's anxiety thing. I don't know why I do it.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Yawning means that the breathing is not getting enough oxygen. With anxiety, our lungs feel compressed so we hyperventilate - shallow breaths. Hence, the yawning...and attempt to get a lot of air.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

Never really yawned while I was anxious. I don't like when people yawn though because it's contagious, lol.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

shulgin1000 said:


> Do any of you get this. If i'm in an anxious state - or more accurately - if i'm slipping into an episode of anxiety, I yawn. This is followed straight after by the eyes watering up.
> 
> Can anyone here identify with this? Is it specific to a certain type of anxiety related condition??


Yes, I can identify with both. I also find my eyes will even start to "hurt" a little bit when watering and I have an urge to just close them.


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## shulgin1000 (May 23, 2005)

Drew said:


> Yes, I can identify with both. I also find my eyes will even start to "hurt" a little bit when watering and I have an urge to just close them.


I close them in an attempt to stop them from watering but it makes no difference..


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

shulgin1000 said:


> I close them in an attempt to stop them from watering but it makes no difference..


Yep, same here, the tearing just "leaks" out.

Does anyone seem to notice the effect varies based on the type of brightness or type of light conditions you are in?


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

The light can hurt my eyes, especially monitors. :stu


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## ilikebooks (Nov 26, 2008)

Yup, I've always done that. I suspected it had something to do with anxiety, since I yawn compulsively when I'm surrounded by people and have nothing to do--like someone said, I guess it's to make myself look tired so that I can be excused from socializing. I also yawn when I feel like I'm not getting enough air into my lungs (usually at night) and then I get convinced that if I stop yawning I'll just stop breathing in my sleep, so then of course I don't really sleep for a while and stay up for a few hours, yawning >.<


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## Ally (Jan 12, 2007)

Yea, I yawn alot when I'm anxious. I didn't think anyone else did that though.


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## Fireflylight (Sep 2, 2004)

*me me me!*

Yes, I do this. I think it has something to do with the way I'm breathing, like I'm not getting enough oxygen so I have to yawn.


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