Pregnancy SmartSite^TM

• Home
• Email
• Site Map
• Contact

• Normal Pregnancy
• Labor & Delivery
• Complications
• After Your Child Is Born

Normal Pregnancy

Staying Healthy

Alcohol and pregnancy Managing your weight gain in pregnancy Steps to take before you get pregnant When you need to gain more weight during pregnancy

What to expect during pregnancy

Aches and pains during pregnancy Choosing the right practitioner Common symptoms during pregnancy Hyperemesis Gravidarum Morning sickness Pregnancy and travel Pregnancy and work Problems sleeping during pregnancy Skin and hair changes during pregnancy Teenage pregnancy

Preparing to go home with your baby

Cribs and crib safety Eat right during pregnancy Preparing your other children

Visits and Tests

Amniocentesis Chorionic villus sampling Genetic counseling before pregnancy Glucose tolerance test-pregnancy Monitoring your baby before labor Nuchal translucency Prenatal care in your first trimester Prenatal care in your second trimester Prenatal care in your third trimester

Yawning - excessive

Definition

Yawning is involuntarily opening the mouth and taking a long, deep breath of air. This is most often done when you are tired or sleepy. Excessive yawning that happens more often than expected, even if drowsiness or weariness is present is considered excessive yawning.

Causes

Causes may include:

• Drowsiness or weariness

• Disorders associated with excessive daytime sleepiness

• Vasovagal reaction (stimulation of a nerve called the vagus nerve), caused by heart attack or aortic dissection

• Brain problems such as tumor, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis

• Certain medicines (rare)

• Problem with the body's temperature control (rare)

Home Care

Follow the treatment for the underlying cause.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your health care provider if:

• You have unexplained and excessive yawning.

• The yawning is associated with being very sleepy in the daytime.

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

The provider will take your medical history and do a physical exam.

You may be asked questions such as:

• When did the excessive yawning begin?

• How many times do you yawn per hour or day?

• Is it worse in the morning, after lunch, or during exercise?

• Is it worse in certain areas or certain rooms?

• Does yawning interfere with normal activities?

• Is the increased yawning related to the amount of sleep you get?

• Is it related to use of medicines?

• Is it related to activity level or boredom?

• Do things such as rest or breathing deeply help?

• What other symptoms are present?

You may need tests to look for medical problems that are causing the yawning.

Your provider will recommend treatment, if needed based on the results of your exam and tests.

References

Avidan AY. Sleep and its disorders. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 101.

Rucker JC, Seay MD. Cranial neuropathies. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 103.

Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Camargo CHF, Walusinski O. Yawning in neurology: a review. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2018;76(7):473-480. PMID: 30066799 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30066799/.

Review Date: 2/2/2023

Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.