# Exercising and Yawning **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328 "2009-10-19T14:26:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/1 "2009-10-19T14:26:20Z")
Been working out with weights recently since the weather turned colder and have noticed that I am yawning quite a bit during said workout. I suspect that yawning could be a sign of lack of oxygen and that I should slow down a bit when this happen, but could it also be a sign of something else such as a cardic problem? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/2 "2009-10-19T14:46:01Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > … butt could it also be a sign of something else such as a cardic problem? It could very easily be. Like many asthmatics I regularly yawn during, or more usually after, exercise. The yawning reflex seems to counteract the constrictive effects of asthma and restore the airways to something like normal. IANAD, but I would suspect asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or other problems that reduce lung function before I’d start worrying about cardiac problems. But as usual, get yourself to a doctor ASAP, explain your symptoms and get the appropriate tests done to diagnose the problem. One word of advice though: I’ve know several people, me included, whose doctor ruled out asthma as a diagnosis using just a stethoscope, when later tests confirmed that they were in fact asthmatic. Because asthma is usually sporadic it can not be ruled out by use of a stethoscope, though it can apparently be confirmed that way with fair success. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Astronaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bad\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/3 "2009-10-19T18:40:08Z")
When I used to work out at a gym I yawned a lot, but I think it’s because it was so boring. ---
**Author:** ![Fact\_of\_the\_Matter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Fact\_of\_the\_Matter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fact_of_the_Matter)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/4 "2009-10-21T00:00:09Z")
The latest hypothesis of why we yawn do not include lack of oxygen, but many think it might be thermoregulation for the brain. Maybe you are getting over heated during your exercising? ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/5 "2009-10-21T00:32:19Z")
I yawn at the gym. I’ve always that it was because the exercise is hard work physically, and because I’m there either during the early afternoon (when I’m likely to feel an energy slump) or early evening (when I feel another energy slump). ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercising-and-yawning/514328/6 "2009-10-21T02:24:53Z")
I do the same thing when lifting weights, but generally not when running or other activities.