Symptom 16. Yawning: An Unexpected Sign of an Impending Migraine
Think of yawning, and we usually associate it with sleepiness or boredom. However, for some people, excessive yawning can act as a red flag for an impending migraine attack. It might sound unusual, but let’s unravel this symptom a bit more.
Picture yourself in a meeting or reading a book, and out of nowhere, you start yawning excessively. You aren’t bored, and you’ve had a good night’s sleep, yet the yawns keep coming. For some people, this sudden bout of yawning can be a sign that a migraine is on its way.
This yawning isn’t your typical end-of-the-day, sleep-induced type. It’s more frequent, comes out of the blue, and has nothing to do with your sleep patterns. You could have just woken up from a refreshing sleep and still experience this excessive yawning.
But why does yawning relate to migraines? While the exact mechanisms are still a subject of research, scientists believe it has something to do with neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine. The same chemical messengers involved in sleep, mood, and pleasure are also implicated in migraines, and changes in their levels can potentially trigger yawning.
While yawning excessively might not be the most debilitating migraine symptom, it provides valuable insight into the impending attack. It serves as a warning sign, giving people time to prepare and possibly mitigate the impact of the migraine. It’s an unusual but interesting piece of the migraine puzzle that underscores how diverse the symptom profile of this condition can be. (16)
