Excessive yawning and thermoregulation: two case histories of chronic, debilitating bouts of yawning.
BACKGROUND
This report details the case histories of two women who suffer from chronic and debilitating episodes of excessive yawning in the absence of sleep problems.


METHODS
Each woman independently provided information and answered questions about their excessive yawning symptoms and medical histories.


RESULTS
Both women show signs of thermoregulatory dysfunction, and each reports symptom relief and/or the postponement of yawning attacks through means of behavioral cooling. One woman recorded her body temperature before and after bouts of yawning, revealing a significant drop in temperature following each episode (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The trigger for yawning in these patients appears to be related to increases in body/brain temperature. These cases are consistent with growing evidence showing that recurrent episodes of excessive yawning are not necessarily associated with a sleep disorder, but rather may be indicative of thermoregulatory dysfunction.
Gallup
Gordon G
GG
Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, USA.
Gallup
Andrew C
AC
D000328:Adult; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015000:Yawning / Q000502:physiology*