Why Do I Yawn When I Meditate? The Surprising Answer
Do you find yourself yawning when you meditate? If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too – either I just can’t seem to get comfortable and I feel restless , or I’m on the verge of falling asleep. I definitely end up doing it more than I’d like. But there’s a reason why this happens – and it’s not just because you’re bored.
So, why do I yawn when I meditate? It all boils down to your nervous system. The body and brain are connected, so there are a variety of reasons both mental and physical. The reasons vary from poor posture and stress levels, to lack of sleep and dehydration.
I get into the reasons more in depth in this article as well as giving you tips and tricks to help you if you’re struggling to manage in your own practice.
Why Do I Yawn When I Meditate?
If you feel like you need to yawn during your practice its perfectly normal. It’s just means that your body is relaxing and releasing tension and allowing your mind to enter a different state of consciousness. So why does yawning happen during meditation? To understand this, we need to take a look at how the body and mind interact when we become more mindful.
When meditating, we focus on our breath and allow it to flow naturally. This helps us to relax our muscles and clear our minds. As we relax, our body’s parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, it’s responsible for our relaxation response.
At the same time, the vagus nerve is stimulated. The vagus nerve plays a key role in regulating our body’s response to stress and anxiety. As we relax and focus further, the body is able to reduce the amount of energy it needs to maintain the state of alertness, resulting in a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate.
It’s one of the ways our body releases tension and increases oxygen intake. It stimulates the brain and provides it more oxygen, allowing for improved concentration and focus. This is why many people find when they yawn it helps them enter a deeper state of zen.