Excessive Yawning and Constant Need to Breathe Deep

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For the past few days, I've been yawning a lot, much more than average (once every few minutes I feel the need). If I'm not yawning I'm breathing in as deep as I can to get similar "satisfaction". Often I cannot get the "satisfaction" from these and so the urge grows and grows, meaning it can get quite uncomfortable. When I do manage it, the urge is back a few seconds later. This is whether I'm tired or not, almost all day. 

I'm not particularly anxious about anything in particular, and get the same amount of sleep as before this started. 

This also happened at some point within the past year which continued for a month or two if I remember correctly. 

Does anyone have any idea what it is or how to make it a bit better? 

Thanks.

27 likes, 1426 replies

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  • Posted

    I've been experiencing this off and on for years. We finally figured it was my back being out. Now when it happens I go to my chiropractor and it goes after an alignment.. so You may want to try and find a good chiropractor, see if that helps. 

  • Posted

    It's a really horrible feeling, I know from my own experience. I've suffered from this a few times in my life. The last time it happened, it lasted for days until I took anti-inflammatory herbs which solved the problem quickly. I ate ginger, golden seal, tulsie leaves and cayenne pepper. Chewing raw ginger seemed to work the fastest and is also a remedy for headaches. Please try it. It worked excellently for me. Much love, healing and peace to all of you!

  • Posted

    I have been having these issues for a very long time (6 years) and starting to pinpoint what is causing it.  I thought it was related to lungs and heart and it is not.  I have had my heart tested 4 times over the past 6 years and most recent test was 2 weeks ago.  Heart tested fine and so did my lungs.  At times I have these very bad episodes where I cannot breath.  Some days I have the symptoms but they are not overwhelming but just lingering in the background.  Then when I eat something they get very bad again.  I think it is something we are eating that is causing our body to react.  Do any of you eat spicy food or use a lot of hot sauce?  Drink coffee or caffeinated drinks?  Red wine?  When I have my very bad breathing episodes I feel very bloated and my stomach is even pushed out.  This is when my symptoms are at their worst and I feel like I want to die or lay down.  I did eliminate a lot of things once and I felt great.  Then I started back on having some alcoholic drinks, coffee and spicy food again and now I have been feeling bad for the last 6 months. 

    Please let me know if you have noticed something that triggers your symptoms.  For me it is definitely not stress or anxiety, it is something I am ingesting that triggers it.  I noticed this when I changed my diet about 8 months ago all my symptoms went away.  I think I am going to eliminate coffee and spicy foods again and see if this helps.  Please let me know what your thoughts are. 

    • Posted

      I struggle with the same issues described here.  For me, I have discuvered by meticulous elimination diets that the single cause of my breathing issues is the ingestion of sodium benzoate.  Even small amounts of the artificial preservative sodium benzoate (even breathing in deeply the scent of an aerosol cleaner or shampoo that contains sodium benzoate) will result in an attack.  The more sodium benzoate I consume, the longer and worse the episode is.  If I avoid it completely, I stay symptom free.  It is difficult to avoid sodium benzoate because it is an artificial preservative in so many things, like jams, pickles, soda, and citric juice concentrates, not to mention most to the toothpastes and shampoos on the market today.  It is also commonly in liquid food dyes, although the powdered dyes, or "lakes" seem to not be a problem.  With some trial and error and some tenacity, I am now able to avoid the miserable condition that we experience.  I hope my experience might help you too.

  • Posted

    I have had this problem off and on for several years I guess and never thought much about it. Over the last week or so it is much worse. I guess I do suffer from anxiety/stress/worrying (about stupid blooming things!), but I don't think that is it on this occasion. Sometimes If I take a deep breath and feel like I have inhalled my full, my lungs open up and I can take another breath, that is when I feel like I had had enough air. I thought it was being unfit and not working out so I am breathing a lot of air like when you have exercised and knaggered (which I don't do!). I don't have alot of caffeince, but maybe have 200ml of milk in porridge daily and I take Omeprazole occasionally for bloating/gas/air. I eat a couple of tubes of squezzy cheese a week, so not a lot of dairy.

    I am thinking of seeing the doc if I'm like this still in a couple of weeks. I imagine nothing will be done. I cannot imagine the UK NHS taking me for an xray or whatever.

    • Posted

      I have this problem too and it hits me out of nowhere I have read that people that are chest breathers get it when the stomach muscles in the abdomen are weak we are not stomach breathers that is from the lower part of our lungs and we need to Exhale all of our air some people have been told to use inhalers which I have because it allows us to Exhale more air when we get stressed and don't know it we forget to Exhale and just keep inhaling part of it has to do with stress asthma and what you take your inhaler a few times and relax it seems to get better I can get this out of nowhere just talking about something coming up that I am nervous about yet I don't feel nervous at the time there are many reasons why people get this but nobody knows the actual cause if there is one so that's my input to this awful awful condition that everybody hates 😕

  • Posted

    Actually another thing. I don't smoke, but have tried it many years ago (one drag!). It felt like a tightening in my checst when I inhalled, and sometimes I get that feeling, but no where near as bad.This is despite not being anywhere near smoke to inhale passively.

  • Posted

    Try doing Indian exercise lom vilom... It is most effective than butyoke...
  • Posted

    Hi

    I suspect that the problem is indeed with your diaphragm.  What happens is that if the stomach is bloated, or you get a little bit over weight around the middle, the stomach pushes up against the diaphragm and breathing freely is impeded.  I hasten to add that I am not a medical professional - found this out from my own experience.

    • Posted

      Hi,

      Yes, I've heard of the diaphragm situation, but in my instance it was proven extreme acid reflux affecting the esophagus.  I'm very thin, no bloating problems, just a diet coke freak, pizzas, bloody Marys, all the worst things for GERD.  I'm now at least down to 1 diet coke per day. 

    • Posted

      I am thinking so as well.  Let me explain.  I have even had major chest pains and though I was having a heart attack.  I have been dealing with this on and off for about 6 years but the last year has been worse.  Recently went through series of tests for the heart and all are good.  The chest pains I recently had where not experienced in the past so I thought something was seriously wrong.   I have never been to a gastrologist and that is my next step.  I have noticed that I had a slight pain right below my sternum.  This i noticed about a year ago and would feel it when I would be bent (sitting or bending over).  Have you ever had this slight pain?  The doctor told me in that location is the xiphoid process.  I had a chest x-ray and cat scan and they said they did not see anything unusual.  Eventually the pain went away but it is now back again.  I have noticed that my deep breathing issue is worse when I have that slight pain.  I just noticed this correlation over the past 2 weeks.  I am thinking it is an inflammation of something that maybe we affecting the diaphragm?  I am not sure just a theory at the moment.  This will be my next avenue to proceed as all other tests have shown nothing (lung tests, cardio, etc).
  • Posted

    I have been struggling with the breathing issue for a few years now.  I had Myocarditis and since then have had this urge to yawn to get a satisfying breath.  I am dealing with it right now.  Mayo Clinic ran me through everything you can think of an said only issue was inflammation.  Heart and lungs are perfect.  I have tried everything, every doctor and am told they can't find anything.  I think the Chiropractor and massage will be my next step.  I feel like this is not something I should have to live with, it's really disrupting my life.

    • Posted

      Hi, you are not alone.  I have even had major chest pains and though I was having a heart attack.  I have been dealing with this on and off for about 6 years but the last year has been worse.  Recently went through series of tests for the heart and all if good.  The chest pains I recently had where not experienced in the past so I thought something was seriously wrong.   I have never been to a gastrologist and that is my next step.  I have noticed that I had a slight pain right below my sternum.  This i noticed about a year ago and would feel it when I would be bent (sitting or bending over).  Have you ever had this slight pain?  The doctor told me in that location is the xiphoid process.  I had a chest x-ray and cat scan and they said they did not see anything unusual.  Eventually the pain went away but it is now back again.  I have noticed that my deep breathing issue is worse when I have that slight pain.  I just noticed this correlation over the past 2 weeks.  I am thinking it is an inflammation of something that maybe we affecting the diaphragm?  I am not sure just a theory at the moment.  This will be my next avenue to proceed as all other tests have shown nothing (lung tests, cardio, etc).
    • Posted

      I have been dealing with this for about six years too.  I have a sharp pain my my right side off and on.  I first thought I broke a rib coughing while sick, had an xray and it wasn't a rib.  Then I had a CT Scan to see if it was kidney stones, and that was fine too.  I had some blood work and am showing high levels for Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I am hoping this is all from inflammation and an RA doctor can get me on the right track here.  Do you have an issues with your ears?  I have terrible ear problems, when the breathing is better the ears go crazy.  They feel blocked, and I can't clear them.  Have seen two ENT's who see nothing wrong.  So I am hoping it has to do with RA, and a solution is coming soon.

    • Posted

      I struggle with the same issues described here.  For me, I have discovered by meticulous elimination diets that the single cause of my breathing issues is the ingestion of sodium benzoate.  Even small amounts of the artificial preservative sodium benzoate (even breathing in deeply the scent of an aerosol cleaner or shampoo that contains sodium benzoate) will result in an attack.   So, try eliminiating sodium benzoate and see if it works for you too.  It is difficult to eliminate because it is an artificial preservative in so many things, like jams, jellies, pickles, soda, and citric juice concentrates, not to mention most of the toothpastes and shampoos on the market today.  It is also commonly in liquid food dyes, although the powdered dyes or "lakes" seem to not be a problem.   With some tenancity and luck, I have been able to avoid the miserable conditions that we experience.  I hope this helps you too.  Good luck.

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