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Instant yawning upon starting excercise

Messages
56
anyone else yawn repeatedly the minute they start exercise? I've had people stop and ask it's so pronounced.

I have a bunch of comorbids and am on several meds so I've no idea where this trait is coming from.

Pete
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Sometimes, not always, I think I do if I am really tired and pushing myself, perhaps not when I am more rested?

GG
 

sueami

Senior Member
Messages
270
Location
Front Range Colorado
I found myself yawning with any sort of exertion also, a week or two after starting a daily meditation that involved deep breathing for 40 minutes to an hour. I had apparently kicked myself into high gear on hyperventilation, resetting my brain's CO2 monitor and depriving myself of sufficient available blood oxygen.

You might consider if you're an overbreather/hyperventilator (I did not realize I was, but between the deep breathing exercises, my yawning, sighing and mouthbreathing at night, I had gotten deep into hyperventilation territory and it was causing me exercise intolerance, heart palps and anxiety.)

A very simple test for it is to see how long you can comfortably hold an exhale. Sitting at rest for a few minutes, on an exhalation, time yourself to see at what point your body wants to inhale -- you don't want to wait so long that you are forced to take a larger than normal breath when you inhale, but enough to experience some air hunger and possibly an involuntary diaphragm movement/twitch signalling a desire to inhale.

Allegedly, healthy people can go 20-40 seconds without experiencing a strong need to inhale. I was at 5-6 seconds when I first tried it. I've extended that to 10-12 seconds over the last month and in doing so have significantly improved my ability to walk without gasping or yawning, and the anxiety and fluttery feelings in my chest.

This is a really good intro to the breathing program, if you think this might be of use to you:
http://www.buteykobreathing.org/ButeykoDiary.pdf
 
Messages
56
You might consider if you're an overbreather/hyperventilator (I did not realize I was, but between the deep breathing exercises, my yawning, sighing and mouthbreathing at night, I had gotten deep into hyperventilation territory and it was causing me exercise intolerance, heart palps and anxiety.)
Hi, I don't think I hyperventilate since I've done a ton of meditation and anti-anxiety exercises in the past. I seem to be in the OK range with the test you listed there. Hmmm.

Thanks for the link. I'll check out the exercises but I'll have to be careful since that sort of self-monitoring is OCD-food...
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
@sming,
What kind of exercise are you doing when this happens -- light lifting, heavy lifting, stretching, walking, aerobic exercise? That might make a difference in terms of figuring out what is happening.

Do you have a fingertip pulse oximeter? I'd want to check blood oxygen if I started yawning the minute I started exercise.
 
Messages
15,786
anyone else yawn repeatedly the minute they start exercise? I've had people stop and ask it's so pronounced.

I have a bunch of comorbids and am on several meds so I've no idea where this trait is coming from.
When I yawn it triggers a significant increase in heart rate. You might be yawning to compensate for exercise-induced OI causing blood pressure or pulse pressure to drop.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
Messages
2,446
Location
NZ
It is only pronounced for me when I am talking on the telephone for more than 10-15 minutes.
 

RustyJ

Contaminated Cell Line 'RustyJ'
Messages
1,200
Location
Mackay, Aust
I experience this. However, in my case, it appears to have nothing to do with being tired. It can be while I am walking or otherwise more active than usual. When it happens it surprises me, it seems like oxygen starvation. Maybe it is adrenal.
 
Messages
56
@sming,
What kind of exercise are you doing when this happens -- light lifting, heavy lifting, stretching, walking, aerobic exercise? That might make a difference in terms of figuring out what is happening.

Do you have a fingertip pulse oximeter? I'd want to check blood oxygen if I started yawning the minute I started exercise.
I've noticed it lifting weights (heavy weights, low number of slow reps), soccer and running. Lifting weights was the most pronounced since I'd be heaving out of breath and yawning after a single set, even after doing it for months.

I don't have an oximeter unfortunately.
 
Messages
56
I experience this. However, in my case, it appears to have nothing to do with being tired. It can be while I am walking or otherwise more active than usual. When it happens it surprises me, it seems like oxygen starvation. Maybe it is adrenal.
right, that's it. I get it when not fatigued (as well as when fatigued). A flight of stairs will do it.
 
Messages
56

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
this used to happen to me early on in the illness. I remember just after I got over mono, I went to my first yoga class and took a friend. It was just light stretching and I ended up yawning the entire time and almost falling asleep, while my friend felt rejuvenated. I yawned so much, everyone noticed. I knew something was wrong with me, that I would need more oxygen just from that.

I am sure it would happen now if I were to try to exercise but at this point, I might drop dead! lol