Who has not caught the yawn of another? What’s more, you may be yawning while reading this article. It is a reflex that occurs naturally when we need a little more oxygen, many times when we are sleepy, but what happens when you yawn and yawn nonstop? And, as if that were not enough, do you feel that the air you need is not getting enough?
I invite you to learn about the causes and treatments for this problem, as well as practical tips for when you feel like you can’t breathe or when anxiety is playing tricks on you. If you are interested, read this article by FastlyHealabout why I have shortness of breath and yawn .
Table of Contents
Airway obstruction
One of the most common causes of shortness of breath is an obstruction in the airway, from the nose to the pulmonary alveoli. When the interruption of the air passage occurs in the highest area (nose and pharynx), it is possible that at night you suffer from sleep apnea . As a result, not enough air gets in, your body can’t fully relax, and you don’t rest well.
When that happens, you may feel exhausted throughout the day, fall asleep in every corner, and suffer from a great deal of yawning.
What to do?
It is essential to identify the cause of the obstruction. It may be necessary to treat a rhinosinusitis, a deviation of the septum, perhaps you have gained excess weight recently, suffer from reflux or have lung problems.
In order to solve yawning, you need to know why the air is not reaching the lungs well. This can be done by turning to a specialist.
Yawning and shortness of breath from anxiety
Stress and anxiety are not usually good counselors. Fearing for an uncertain future or suffering for things that you do not know if they will happen generates a feeling of permanent alertness in the body. The adaptive responses of your body to threats (true or not) cause a series of undesirable effects if they are perpetuated for a long time. You can feel: feeling of tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, insomnia, frequent yawning, abdominal discomfort , among others.
What to do?
If you think that your body is suffering such effects from handling the situations you live in, maybe it is time to rethink how you are living. Remember that your body will be the same until you are older, if it is already showing signs that things are not right, maybe it is time to pay attention and change certain habits.
Yawning and feeling short of breath before a migraine
Those who suffer from migraines know how difficult it can be to live with them, for some people it is something really disabling. Migraines are headaches that throb, usually occur in the same place, are often bothered by light or loud noises, and there may be a feeling of nausea.
In some people certain symptoms warn of the arrival of the headache. It is called prodrome or aura and it can be a very varied presentation. In some cases, yawning may appear, one after the other. For others, a feeling of anxiety and shortness of breath, although it is not the most common.
What to do?
Migraines have a lot to do with habits. Diet plays a key role in maintaining migraine. Excess processed, caffeine, wine, excess chocolate, preservatives, among others, are some of the substances that can cause bodily discomfort.
Identifying the cause, practicing physical activity, eating healthy and managing stress can help you have fewer attacks, reduce their intensity and even make them go away.
Cardiovascular problems that cause dyspnea and excessive yawning
Certain heart and blood vessel problems can trigger these types of symptoms. This is because the vagus nerve is stimulated and triggers a reaction known as vasovagal syncope . The symptoms are varied, among them are:
- Hypotension
- Lightheadedness or fainting
- Blurry vision.
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath.
- Yawning excessively.
What to do?
It is important to determine the origin of vasovagal syncope. Sometimes they are minor causes such as having touched a sensitive area (such as the inner part of the eye), but other times it may be heralding a heart attack or serious injury to the aorta.
The general picture of the person should be seen, trying to identify its severity and ruling out possible causes. To do this, it is necessary to go to a health center immediately, as it may be a serious health problem that requires urgent attention.
Brain problems
Some disorders of the central nervous system can also trigger symptoms similar to vasovagal syncope, such as diseases such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, a brain tumor or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).
In these cases, there are usually other symptoms such as confusion, problems with vision, balance, hearing, alterations with sensitivity, among others, but it all depends on the location of the problem and its severity.
What to do?
Given the persistence of such rare symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor immediately. Most likely, it is not a severe problem, since it is not so common but, anyway, due to the severity and possible complications, you should consult your doctor.
Excessive yawning from dryness
Dryness, dehydration and lack of greasiness can cause a number of symptoms, including:
- Constipation.
- Poor body temperature management: feeling cold.
- Dry skin
- Dry hair.
- Hair loss.
- Brittle, weak, scratched nails.
- However, important.
- Insomnia, shallow sleep, or trouble sleeping.
- Anxiety.
- Deconcentration.
- Restless mind.
- Arterial hypertension.
- Joint pain
- Shortness of breath.
- Dysphonia.
- Yawning on repeat.
Although they seem disconnected symptoms, they respond to the same origin: habits that dry out the body . Among them, one can cite: unhealthy eating, overwork, excessive exercise, drinking alcohol, drinking coffee, smoking tobacco, not drinking enough fluids, eating very dry things, lack of healthy fats in the diet, lack of routines.
What to do?
If you think your symptoms fit this description, you will quickly notice how if you change the habits that dry out your body, it can slowly return to balance. For this, it is important to:
- That your diet includes fresh and seasonal products. Cook them so that they are juicy and not dry.
- Limit or eliminate from your diet what does not do you good.
- Incorporate healthy fats: ghee, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado.
- Use oil on the skin, since the oiliness needs to come from within, but also from the outside, since it promotes circulation.
- Practice exercise.
- Use techniques to quiet the mind.
How to remove the feeling of suffocation due to anxiety
As you can see, anxiety is a common feeling in many pathologies. This is because this way of living fast and always looking forward generates a dizzying rhythm that is not compatible with our nature. Anxiety has become the norm, we want everything for now, without enjoying the journey until we get to where we want to go.
You can implement very simple tools that will help you cope with moments of anxiety and you can use them constantly, incorporating them into your daily routine to gradually eliminate anxiety altogether. The key is to live in the present moment.
Pay attention to your breathing
It is one of the simplest ways to connect with you, to calm your mind. You can close your eyes for a few seconds, wherever you are. Feel the air coming in and out, how it cools your nostrils, how your chest expands and how it contracts the next second.
Exercise your breathing
In addition to just feeling it, you can practice breathing rhythmically. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out in 4 seconds and hold your breath again.
This type of technique has been proven to promote brain irrigation, relax muscles and even reduce body inflammation.
Hear the sounds around you
It is also something that you can practice wherever you are. It will make you connect with the present moment. No matter what sounds they are, it is not about identifying or naming them. Just listen and wait for a new sound.
Perceive your sensations
If you are falling into anxiety, feel it. Feel your heart race, how you breathe more aggressively, that restlessness. Identify them. Give them a name. Knowing how it feels and what you feel will also help you downplay it. It is simply a momentary bodily reaction. Just as it came, it will go.
Identify your emotions
Are you angry? Are you ashamed or ashamed? Have you been offended? Are you jealous, anguished, sad or insecure? Notice how your body manifests this and see how the discomfort disappears as you do so. Once again: our emotions are fluctuating, they can change from one moment to another. When we understand this and can “see ourselves from the outside”, it is simpler to overcome them and seek a state of well-being.
Listen to others
Hear them truly with your ears but also with your mind. When you can stop your thoughts to listen to those of others, you will not be alone in your world, in your musings or give room to anxiety.
What to do when you feel short of breath
If the shortness of breath is acute and has never happened to you, you should go to a health center, as there are many different causes. Some very simple and others more complex. It is important to calm down, since as we have seen, anxiety plays very bad tricks.
You can sit down and try some of the relaxation techniques that I taught you in the previous section, which are effective for improving many bodily sensations and functions and, above all, for calming the mind and breathing. This will undoubtedly help the air flow more naturally inside.
Whatever the cause of shortness of breath, if you can keep your mind calm , everything will be much easier to cope with. I invite you to try it.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why am I short of breath and yawning , we recommend that you enter our Lung and respiratory tract category .

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.