yawning while singing explained
It's actually a funny explanation, in a way.
Hippocrates was known as the father of medicine because he came up with the first idea about medicine.
It's theorized that yawning could help get rid of bad air, especially when there were fevers around. This explains why you yawn when you sing.
Since yawning can be healthy, then there is an evolutionary sense for it to be contagious.
If you're wondering "Why do I yawn when I sing" then that's your answer.
You yawn as a way to protect yourself.
The brain doesn't know how to relax, so it takes every measure to keep you safe.
(Good job brain, but I just want to sing!)
Yawning helps you with evolution but yawning does nothing for your singing performance.
In this blog, I'll show you how to decrease your yawn reflex, and get a richer tone!
Check out the singers diet for more tips!
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How does yawning affect singing?
Most people love to sing!
Whether it's for fun, at a formal or religious event, in a shower, and so on.
It's annoying when your body forces you to yawn while singing, no matter what mood you're in.
Singers who haven't had any training may have a hard time not yawning while they sing.
It's brain training more than voice training.
You must rewire your brain to prioritize throat activity for singing rather than yawning.
It can take time to control yawning, it's not something you can learn overnight.
Worse off, yawning while singing makes you look bad when singing in a crowd!
Yawning while singing can make you look sleepy or uninterested...
Not the kind of image you want...
A person who will yawn all day.
Yawning hits dingers hard because you need a lot of air and lung strength to sing. Your gaping mouth tells your body that it's time to yawn.
Is it true that yawning is good for singing?
There is no way yawning is good for singing. It's the other way around since you won't have enough oxygen to hit high notes.
It's not damaging to your vocal cords but it is an annoyance when you need fresh air.
The muscles in your jaw relax when you yawn, which makes it harder and faster to sing.
When you yawn, there are two stages:
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Throat phase
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Belly phase
It is the first step in the process of taking a breath where you open your mouth wide.
When you breathe, your belly moves up and lung power forces out oxygen.
While your rib cage widens, your singing ability goes out of control.
When your abdomen moves this way, you feel it move as well.
Uh oh. You need to push your abdomen muscles outward when you sing.
Singing is a skill that requires abdominal muscles a lot!
Imagine singing without your diaphragm...
You won't be able to sing properly. Avoid yawning at all costs!
Knowing How To Use Your Chest Voice will activate your true singing potential!
How to stop yawning when singing
Yawning can be painful to sing, but it can also be painful to watch.
Instead of limiting your performance, you should find the best ways to stop yawning.
Here are 5 ways to stop yawning while singing:
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Do some deep breathing exercises
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Avoid engaging your soft palate muscle
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Catch up on sleep
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Don't sing among tired people
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Avoid foods high in carbs and tryptophan
This will help your throat, jaw, lungs, and belly.
Overcome yawning today with these exercises!
Yawning affects your vocal folds, and stops new singers from breathing properly!
Each anti-yawn technique is designed to make you breathe properly and breathe deeply.
You'll no longer ask "Why do I yawn when I sing" once you do these breathing exercises!
#1. Deep breath exercises
Before you start singing, you should breathe.
I want you to breathe deeply for about five to 10 minutes.
Take a breath for 6 seconds, and then let it out for another 6.
Sound like a long time?
It's necessary because it takes back all your lung power, giving you the muscular strength to overcome yawning while singing.
Once your lungs can hold a note, this becomes muscle memory.
Breathing patterns raise the amount of oxygen in the airways, which makes it less likely that you will yawn while you sing.
Take a lot of breaths while singing.
This can overcome your natural reflex when yawning.
Practice long notes with your voice, and train your jaw to remain stationary as you yawn.
This will increase your performance on a physical and psychological level!
#2. Avoid engaging your soft palate muscle
The back of the roof of the mouth is called a "soft palate."
This is the soft tissue that makes up this part of the mouth.
The other part is the hard palate, these are very sensitive parts of the mouth.
Reports have shown that there's a correlation between soft palate lifts and yawning while singing.
Maintaining a good throat position is paramount for proper singing!
Ideally, you want to avoid eating heavy meals so as not to activate these muscle groups.
If you have an overly nasal voice...
You're singing with too much soft palate activation.
#3. Catch up on sleep to start breathing properly
Sleep is very important for your music career.
Research shows that getting enough good sleep is important for a person's mental and physical health!
On top of that, sleep is the #1 cause of yawning while singing.
If you get enough sleep through the night, you'll be rested up and ready to sing your heart out!
Try sleeping earlier in the day, or don't sing so late.
Singing early is good since you're not straining your voice from the day-to-day bustle.
#3. Don't sing among tired people
One bad apple spoils the bunch.
Yawning is contagious, so stay away from tired people!
If your friends aren't getting enough sleep, they may be ruining the singing practice.
You'll be yawning when singing if your fellow singer does the same thing.
On top of breathing exercises, you want to control your environment as much as possible.
How else can you develop your singing career?
Relax, I'm not saying you cut off your best friend.
Just be conscious of the yawning, and be ready to take measures if the yawn gets in the way of singing high notes.
#Avoid foods high in carbs and tryptophan
Did you know that carbs make you sleepy?
Carbs make you sleepy because they make your body produce insulin and lower your blood sugar, which makes you tired.
This is why you may start yawning when singing after a big meal.
Not only that, the air in your abdominal muscles can get bloated from all the food.
Peak performance requires sacrifice, so eat less to sound good!
A good daily routine is to fast 2 hours before a singing session.
This ensures that you won't be yawning when singing, letting you tear in more breaths.
As a singer, you must train your diet properly!
In those rare cases where you do eat carbs, make sure you do a small workout to level out your insulin.
This will have you yawning less, get more air in your system, and let your belly feel relieved!
Summary
Yawning is a form of improper breathing.
You need more oxygen and the good song breaks to sing effectively.
Stop yawning by practicing each vocal exercise, and you'll be able to sing any fast-paced song with ease!
If you have medical conditions that cause you to yawn, you should seek a medical council.
If you have iron deficiency, you may be more tired, thus yawning more as you breathe.
Practice like crazy, sing your song, and stay beautiful!
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