Yawning during a strenuous workout???

So I am working out..doing a very strenuous workout and I can't stop yawning!! It has happened many times before.It was not boring and I slept a full night before and had nothing to do with being tired. Strange..any suggestions as to why??

I think I heard somewhere that when you're not getting enough oxygen, you'll yawn. So weird, huh? I've had it happen, too, and when I used to be REALLY out of shape and would climb a flight or two of stairs & start to get winded, I'd yawn!

I actually thought that could have been the reason. Thanks!

So what do you think the cause of not enough oxygen is working too hard? Or maybe some underlying condition? I am not out of shape and have been exercising for almost all my life..with months on and months off.

That happened to me once and I realized it was because my sports bra was on too tight. When I took it off I could definitely breathe easier. I went and bought a new one :p ...that could be it maybe?

That's been happening to me lately. At the end on my runs I've started doing some short sprints. As I try to catch my breath after each sprint I will yawn on occasion. I was a little surprised when it happened the first time, but I've gotten used to it. The humidity has been pretty bad lately, which I think may have something to do with it. Thanks for the post!

I yawn a lot during strenuous aerobic workouts, and it's even worse when I think about it. I don't think there's any concrete explanation for it; it's just annoying.

Yawning is caused from improper breathing.  Any time you have a lack of oxygen to the brain, it's your body's way of getting more.   If you are yawning during exercise, it means you are not breathing properly in order to get the correct amt of oxygen your brain and muscles require during a strenuous routine.  So, my suggestion is to examine your breathing habits and try to focus on very very steady breathing, a longer pull of air in through the nose, and a longer push of air out through the mouth.  This should stop the yawning and will probably lengthen your endurance as well. 

Study the yoga technica of pranayama breathing.  What you want to do during physical exercise is the "complete breath". 

Thank you all I will try to concentrate on my breathing and correct it. Maybe not push SO hard. Thanks again!

Hah. I totally got called out on yawning during a group exercise thing at the gym once. >_<

Hi.  I have heard that yawning during exercise is your body's way of cooling your brain because it forces a large quantity of oxygen to flow through you if you haven't been breathing deeply enough.  This happens to me all the time -- it's hard to breathe deep when you're working hard!

Everytime I do yoga I have a huge yawning episode right in the middle of it. I think it has to do with changing your breathing patterns. I'm not sure if it's a lack of oxygen, because if anything yoga breath work gives you supple oxygen. Maybe it has to do with the nervous system trying to relax you? Just try to remember to breathe evenly in through the nose out through the mouth.

Hi everyone.

About two or three months ago I went from working out three days a week to four days a week.  For years I would start yawning as my exercises became more strenuous.  Now that I'm working out four days a week for about 90 minutes, I've stopped yawning.  Lol

The only thing that ever seemed to help ease the yawning fits, was taking a few long, slow breaths and holding them for about 3 seconds.  I wouldn't do it enough to hyperventilate!  Lol  Just enough to get some extra oxygen into my system.  Maybe 2 or three times as needed per exercise.

I still do it when I'm doing any sort of cardio or certain weight lifting exercises that are more demanding.  Basically, anytime I start to feel exhausted, i'll do it and to this day it still seems to help.  Of course, as we get into better shape, the rabid yawning seems to decrease naturally.