Is Yawning An Anxiety Symptom?

Can obsessive yawning be a symptom of anxiety? Many experts agree that it can, and what's more, it may be more common than we realize. When we yawn we are attempting to breathe in a large quantity of air and fill our lungs completely. Usually, this is an involuntary act caused by simply being tired, and is a signal that our body needs to sleep.

But occasionally, people will experience frequent and even obsessive compulsions to yawn, even when they are wide awake and aren't the least bit sleepy. While it is true that certain (relatively rare) physical ailments can cause an individual to need to yawn often, compulsive yawning can also be a symptom of generalized anxiety.

Generalized anxiety is a low level "background" anxiety that is present over a long period of time. Among other symptoms, this can result in a person unknowingly tightening up the muscles in their neck, shoulders, chest and abdomen. This can result in feeling "tight" in the chest and abdomen, and at times can even feel like the individual is having an asthma attack.

Of course, anytime an individual is experiencing breathing difficulties, it is important to see a medical doctor right away. Feeling short of breath can be a symptom of something much more serious, including asthma, heart problems, or a potentially severe allergic reaction.

But many anxiety sufferers see their doctor about obsessive yawning and go through a complete battery of medical tests, only to be told that the problem is "all in your head." In these situations, many times the yawning is an anxiety symptom caused by chronic constriction of the muscles in the chest and abdomen (the back, shoulders and neck muscles can also contribute to the problem).

In these situations, the muscle constriction that is causing the yawning symptoms is usually nothing more than a habit -- albeit a very persistent one. And nine times out of 10, the anxiety suffer doesn't even realize they are tightening up the muscles in their body. The reaction is usually unconscious, and is often caused by an unresolved conflict of some sort, or other emotional stress.

Once you've seen your doctor about the yawning problem and have been given the "all clear," indicating that you have no physical problem causing the yawning symptoms, it is reasonable to assume that it is simply an anxiety symptom. The question then becomes, how to best alleviate the underlying stress (generalized anxiety) that is causing the yawning to begin with?

For most types of anxiety symptoms, controlled breathing exercises can help the sufferer to relax more deeply; but when the anxiety results in obsessive yawning, this can actually be counterproductive. Since the anxiety sufferer is already focused intensely upon their breathing, asking them to perform controlled breathing exercises could potentially make the problem even worse.

So a better idea is to use guided visualization techniques to help relax the muscles throughout the body. Using these types of body/mind relaxation sessions can help to break the habit of tensing or tightening up the muscles unconsciously. Over time, this can result in a more relaxed posture, and easier breathing.

Getting a good massage can also be helpful, and often people don't realize just how tight their muscles are until they go in for a massage, when it becomes painfully obvious that they're carrying a lot of stress in their body.

Most of us predominantly carry stress in our shoulders and upper back; but others tend to carry stress in their chest and stomach muscles, and these anxiety sufferers are the most likely to experience unexplainable breathing-related anxiety symptoms such as a compulsion to yawn frequently.

Because the compulsion to yawn happens at the unconscious level, some people who experience these types of anxiety symptoms can benefit from hypnosis. A qualified hypnotherapist can often address the underlying emotional issues causing the muscle tension in the first place, and install new suggestions into the subconscious to keep the body and mind more relaxed as you go through your daily life.