Yawning is often one harmless reaction stemming from drowsiness, fatigue, or lack of sleep. The frequency of yawning varies greatly among individuals, depending on age and alertness. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, pathological yawning can be defined as yawning more than 3 times every 15 minutes.

Persistent yawning, with no clear cause or accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness, muscle weakness, or cognitive changes, may indicate underlying health issues.

Neurological disorders

Electroencephalography (EEG), a technique that allows scientists to record neural signals, has shown that yawning temporarily inhibits sympathetic nervous activity. This suggests that excessive yawning may not be one harmless habit, but rather a warning sign of serious neurological changes.

Overactive autonomic nervous system

Yawning also reflects the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a system that controls involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure. Excessive yawning may signal an imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

Poor brain temperature regulation

While occasional yawning is normal, uncontrolled yawning can indicate that the brain struggles to maintain optimal temperature.

Yawning helps regulate brain temperature by increasing blood flow and drawing cooler air into the brain through deep breaths. In individuals who have experienced some types of stroke, excessive yawning is linked to damage in brain regions that control temperature regulation, such as the insular lobe. This could be how the brain compensates when its thermoregulatory centers are disrupted.

Warning sign of metabolic disorders

Brain chemicals and metabolic changes influence yawning. This condition is closely related to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, motivation, and movement. Sometimes, continuous yawning relates to dopamine dysfunction.

Bao Bao (According to Times of India)