Imagine this: you’re up on stage, singing your heart out to your favorite song. You’re hitting all the high notes like a pro, and the crowd is into it. And then, all of a sudden, you feel a yawn coming on. It’s like a ninja sneaking up on you. You can’t help it, your mouth opens wide, and you start to worry if you’re singing a ballad or trying out for a sleepy rockstar role. You’re stuck in this weird place where you’re trying to hit those high notes but also fighting to stay awake. It’s like a crazy musical trap – the more you try to resist the yawn, the stronger it gets. It’s such a weird feeling.
So, this blog is your secret weapon against how to stop yawning while singing. Say goodbye to the awkwardness of performing amidst a sea of yawns and hello to spotlight-worthy performances! Let’s turn those yawns into applause-worthy moments. Get ready to rock the stage without the sleepy soundtrack!”
What induces yawning?
Before jumping into the remedies, it is important to know the root causes of yawning. It is an involuntary act that causes a big stretch of the mouth while inhaling. Despite being a common phenomenon, scientists are still trying to figure out why we yawn. An article published in the National Library of Medicine emphasizes the following reasons for yawning:
Yawning may have a cooling effect on our brains. According to a theory, our brain uses yawning as a mechanism to cool down when it is working hard. A deep breath during a yawn can be compared to opening a window to release heat. This is especially helpful when our brain is in overdrive.
Yawning is not only an individual action, but it’s a social one, too. Have you ever observed how seeing someone yawn can trigger you to yawn as well? It’s like a contagious reaction, and before you know it, everyone is yawning. Researchers believe it’s a way for our brain to signal, “Hey, let’s all relax together!”
Yawning may be a signal from the body that it’s time to transition between being awake and sleeping.
One popular idea is that our bodies crave oxygen and need to eliminate excess carbon dioxide as if our lungs were hosting a party and inviting everyone to join.
Singing Yawns: Unlocking the Melodic Mystery!
When you belt out a tune like a pro, it’s like giving your throat a little lift and telling your soft palate to do the wave. It’s the same move your body makes when you yawn, and that can totally mess with your brain, making it think it’s nap time. So, singing might be the sneakiest way to trick your brain into wanting a quick snooze!
This is the most common reason for yawning while singing, but other factors also contribute to this situation.
- Performance anxiety: Feeling nervous and anxious before a big performance, like singing on stage, is normal. When we’re feeling stressed or anxious, our brains need lots of oxygen to help us cope with the fight or flight response. Yawning is actually a really helpful way to regulate our breathing and send a message to the subconscious mind to reduce stress levels.
- Over exhaustion: When preparing for a grand show performance, rehearsals and arrangements can often lead to exhaustion before the actual performance. Moreover, singing demands physical and mental energy. When tired, the body’s natural response is to release hormones that increase heart rate and alertness for a short time. Yawning is often associated with this response.
- Dehydration: When our body gets dehydrated, blood viscosity increases, reducing blood flow to the brain. As a result, there is a decreased oxygen supply to this part of our body, which triggers our brain to send signals for yawning to increase the oxygen intake.
- Improper breathing technique: When a person has shallow or erratic breathing, it can decrease the oxygen levels in their bloodstream. Yawning is the body’s natural response to counteract this oxygen deficiency and provide a quick influx of fresh air. Not only does yawning promote deeper inhalation, but it also helps to increase the intake of oxygen and expel excess carbon dioxide. Therefore, when individuals consistently adopt inefficient breathing patterns characterized by short and insufficient breaths, the body may interpret this as a signal to yawn more frequently to optimize respiratory function and restore proper oxygen levels.
Beat Yawning Blues while singing with These Tricks.
If you’re a singer who struggles with yawning during performances, know that you’re not alone. It can be a real challenge to maintain your focus and energy when you’re yawning on stage. It can be both distracting and affect the quality of your performance.
However, there are several remedies and tricks that you can try to help you overcome this obstacle and perform at your best. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Hydration
It is important to stay hydrated when performing, as dehydration can lead to yawning. To prevent this, make sure to drink plenty of water, especially 5 to 6 hours before the performance.
This will keep your body well hydrated and your vocal cords lubricated, allowing them to work their best and produce the best possible vibrations while singing.
Sufficient Warm-up Of vocal cords
Yawning while singing can be caused by insufficient preparation of the vocal cords and surrounding muscles. It is important to warm up the vocal cord area properly to improve flexibility and minimize tension between joints and muscles.
Bhramari and Ujjayi Pranayam is a warm-up exercise that can be used to achieve this. Proper warm-up improves vocal stamina and endurance and reduces the chances of yawning while singing.
Facial muscles
Yawning often occurs when the facial muscles are relaxed. Therefore, actively engaging the facial muscles while performing can be a tricky and smart way to prevent yawning.
By continuously maintaining the necessary stretch around the mouth and jaws, a performer can avoid yawning and control and modulate the resonance and vibrations in their singing sounds.
Additionally, a pleasing facial expression gives a great impression to the audience during the performance.
Take it easy
It is essential for singers to have control over their voices during performances and to prevent yawning. To avoid performance anxiety, one should engage in deep breathing exercises, meditation, and mild stretching before the final performance to relax the mind.
Having a good quality sleep the night before the performance day is crucial for controlling the built-up stress of singing.
Correct breathing technique
Proper breathing technique is crucial, even when singing a fast-paced song, as it can prevent yawning. One way to achieve this is by taking extra breaths during the instrumental parts of the song and exhaling properly to avoid holding carbon dioxide for too long.
To synchronize breathing with the instruments, it is recommended to practice singing the song multiple times with the instruments.
Yawning is contagious
If you’re attending a singing performance, it’s best to avoid looking at any performers who are yawning on stage. Yawning is contagious and can trigger the same response in others, including yourself.
In fact, even thinking about yawning can be enough to set it off. So, to prevent an awkward situation, it’s best to keep your focus on the performance.
Empower the performance through deep breathing
Practicing deep breathing for 10 minutes before a performance can prevent yawning during the show. Deep breathing increases lung capacity and oxygenates the body, eliminating the need to yawn for extra oxygen while singing.
To conclude
Yawning during singing is totally normal and just means our body is asking for more oxygen and a bit of relaxation. It can even show that our throat position is right.
However, it can be a bit awkward during a performance. The tips mentioned earlier can help you manage yawning while singing. But if it keeps happening despite trying these tips, it might be a sign of a medical issue. In that case, it’s a good idea to see a doctor.
Featured Image by master1305 on Freepik
