Yawning and Afib

I’ve been noticing that when I’ve been in Afib and spontaneously started yawning (usually when I’m tired and near bedtime) I convert to NSR. So, I started intentionally provoking a yawning episode at other times when I am in Afib, and yes, I convert. I did some reading and yawning affects the autonomic nervous system though there doesn’t seem to be an agreement as to whether it stimulates the sympathetic or the parasympathetic branch. In my case Vagal stimulation seems to trigger Afib so I suspect that yawning is stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. I’m in the “no antiarrythmic“ period before my ablation so the effects of intentional yawning are most welcome as I’m getting Afib every day. Have others noticed a connection between yawning and Afib?

Hi Daisy. - If you do a search here on the word, yawning, you'll find archived posts on the topic. You may find something that resonates with what you experience.

Best to you,
Jackie

Yawning in animals, at least as far as I have observed and read, is a 'calming' behaviour. Your yawning dog isn't really relaxed or tired, but it wants to be. Instead, it is foo aroused for its comfort, and calms itself with yawning. However, there must be a decent argument that yawning stimulated the sympathetic nervous system, and that would tend to bring on AFib, not quell it. The tone of the vagus nerve is important, but it is a part of the parasympathetic nervous system. According to what I have read, and understand, when the tone is right, the vagus nerve calms the body, and by extension the exciting mechanism that might bring on AF.

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gloaming
However, there must be a decent argument that yawning stimulated the sympathetic nervous system, and that would tend to bring on AFib, not quell it. The tone of the vagus nerve is important, but it is a part of the parasympathetic nervous system. According to what I have read, and understand, when the tone is right, the vagus nerve calms the body, and by extension the exciting mechanism that might bring on AF.

For me it is too high vagal tone that precipitates Afib (I had extensive testing of the autonomic nervous system). One of the ways that I can often terminate Afib is by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system by doing something like jogging in place or powerwalking. A medication that increases norepinephrine in the synapses was very helpful to me as it increased the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. But I am probably a typical! Anyway, this is an interesting topic.

Has anyone ever tried vagus nerve stimulation? You can do it easily with your ears.

I have tried it maybe 15 times now after seeing it linked to, here about five weeks ago....? I would give it a modest grade, maybe a D+-C-. It can work, and does maybe 50% of the time (or seems to help some), but it's by no means a sure thing for me. Walking around is better for me.

A bit 0T here but Fitbit just went live with an arrhythmia algorithm and it actually seems to work! I have one of the newer Fitbits, the Inspire 2, and it actually picked up my Afib last night and gave a minute by minute report that matched my Kardia.