Occasionally Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi everybody! This is the first thread that I'm starting, and I have a question. I enjoy reading aloud to the kiddos, but I yawn so often when I do! I know it isn't because I'm tired, or bored, and I don't feel out of breath. It gets to be an annoying interruption at times. Am I the only one who does this? Does anybody have any ideas on what to do about it? :bigear: Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have no idea how to help, but I thought I was the only one who had this strange problem. Now I know there are at least two of us! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 You aren't getting either a. enough oxygen or b. enough sleep. Try sitting up straight-backed and cross-legged yoga style and breathe with your diaphragm. You don't have to feel out of breath to be deprived of oxygen. If this doesn't help, try getting to bed earlier :tongue_smilie: One of the symptoms of chronic sleep debt is feeling sleepy during an extended period of sitting like at a movie or while driving. Enjoy your thread! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 It's more than two, I do it as well. It's so annoying! :glare: Hopefully somebody here has an answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Me, too. And it isn't due to lack of sleep or oxygen. It's only something that happens when reading aloud. Not when I am talking on the phone or having another long conversation. So now there's at least 5 of us. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Make that 6! I also have this problem when I sing in church. I'm sure Father thinks I'm bored to death! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Make that 7.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Oh my gosh!!! Me too---and I find it SO irritating! :glare: and make that 7! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 You are not alone ;). I know several friends of mine in education (preschool through lower elementary) that have mentioned this! If you google it, you'll find that it is more common than you think. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have this problem too. I find that if I take deeper breaths, deep enough for my shoulders and diaphragm to move significantly, every few sentences, I do much, much better. I talk and read fast, so I think when I read, I am shortening my natural breath pattern too much and the yawning is a result. Reading makes me sleepy no matter what, but the yawning for me is definitely due to breath patterns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 :iagree:with Barb. Sit up tall, and really breathe at each period. Take a big yawn right now. Feel it. Every breathe should mimic that sensation. Your rib cage expanding, lungs filling up down to the bottom...when reading, you are exhaling through the sentence. If you can't get through the whole sentence without breathing in the middle, you need to take deeper breaths. If you are not breathing well while reading aloud, you are probably putting undue pressure on your voice, which isn't good. If you are breathing well, you'll be able to read and read and read and read without ever "losing" your voice. ...now I can't stop yawning...time for bed...:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 :iagree:with Barb. Sit up tall, and really breathe at each period. Take a big yawn right now. Feel it. Every breathe should mimic that sensation. Your rib cage expanding, lungs filling up down to the bottom...when reading, you are exhaling through the sentence. If you can't get through the whole sentence without breathing in the middle, you need to take deeper breaths. That's a really good way to describe it. I always think of reading aloud more like a performance. Pretend you're onstage and you have to project to an audience. You can't take shallow conversational breaths if you want to reach the poor people in the back of the room :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysworld Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 So glad I'm not the only one! But I know why I do it, I'm sleep deprived:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysworld Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 That's a really good way to describe it. I always think of reading aloud more like a performance. Pretend you're onstage and you have to project to an audience. You can't take shallow conversational breaths if you want to reach the poor people in the back of the room :tongue_smilie: What a great idea!!! I am most definitely going to implement this!! Thanks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 That's a really good way to describe it. I always think of reading aloud more like a performance. Pretend you're onstage and you have to project to an audience. You can't take shallow conversational breaths if you want to reach the poor people in the back of the room :tongue_smilie: I'm a vocalist so the breathing is completely 2nd nature to me. I treat read alouds like a performance too. I didn't realize how much until my kids started reading to me. (Who knew Amelia Bedelia could be *so* dramatic?:lol:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I do the same thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I do this too even when I am reading something very exciting and I feel wide awake. It drives me crazy and ends up making me sleepy. I have a horrible problem with insomnia. Maybe I should just start reading aloud to myself at night. Of course, I should probably explain this to my children first so that they don't think that I have went even farther round the bend. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bokons Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I have the same problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon in TN Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Yep, I do the same thing. It's good to know I'm not the only one, either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oak Knoll Mom Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I got docked several points on a student-teacher evaluation b/c I yawned during a read aloud! It really is a breathing issue. You have to try to read with natural breathing rhythms. You will most likely yawn if you try to breathe too deeply in order to prepare for a big phrase or to recover from a big phrase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi everybody! This is the first thread that I'm starting, and I have a question. I enjoy reading aloud to the kiddos, but I yawn so often when I do! I know it isn't because I'm tired, or bored, and I don't feel out of breath. It gets to be an annoying interruption at times. Am I the only one who does this? Does anybody have any ideas on what to do about it? :bigear: Thanks! My husband does this too! You aren't getting either a. enough oxygen or b. enough sleep. Try sitting up straight-backed and cross-legged yoga style and breathe with your diaphragm. You don't have to feel out of breath to be deprived of oxygen. If this doesn't help, try getting to bed earlier :tongue_smilie: One of the symptoms of chronic sleep debt is feeling sleepy during an extended period of sitting like at a movie or while driving. Barb Thanks for the advice. I am going to have DH try this, as I know he isn't going to get more sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi everybody! This is the first thread that I'm starting, and I have a question. I enjoy reading aloud to the kiddos, but I yawn so often when I do! I know it isn't because I'm tired, or bored, and I don't feel out of breath. It gets to be an annoying interruption at times. Am I the only one who does this? Does anybody have any ideas on what to do about it? :bigear: Thanks! I think you just have to build up read aloud stamina. I know that I definitely have trouble with yawning while reading. I've even been known to have to take a 10 min nap to recover from reading a couple chapters. But I think it does get better over time. I do it less now than I did a few years ago. (The year we started Sonlight just about had me passed out on the couch I yawned so much.) Update: Speaking of performance, I've been known to read while standing instead of snuggling on the couch. Not all the time, but once in a while. It does help the breathing. (I'm yawning just thinking of reading. Which I'm off to do: Redwall!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I read aloud in class every week and have dealt with this - it has to do with needing more oxygen for the task you're performing. But there are ways around it if you're trained/conscious of the issue. The way I avert it is to consciously breathe (shorter breaths between words/after periods) and longer breaths when there are adequate pauses in the text. It's a very conscious effort, and also involves how I use my diaphragm. i'm sure there are youtube videos or googlable articles about how to master this so you're not interrupted by yawning all the time :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 This is why I switched to audio books. Plus it had the added benefit of me being able to enjoy being read to as well. I now have a profound love for audio books and listen to many on my own iPod. Matter of fact, it's the only reason I own an iPod. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I am so relieved other people have this problem too! I yawn during read alouds and also singing at church. It is embarrassing and irritates my kids. I've assumed it must be a breathing issue, but can't seem to change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Thanks to everybody for 1) the commiseration (who knew?) and 2) the suggestions on what to do. I'll definitely start to be more aware of how I'm breathing while I'm reading aloud. I do like to be more dramatic while I'm reading aloud, so maybe I'm putting more of my mind on that, and not on the mechanics. And I've been telling myself to get to bed sooner in the evenings, maybe this can be a motivator that way (though I've had this "problem" for ages, no matter my sleep level.) Thanks again! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 This is why I switched to audio books. Plus it had the added benefit of me being able to enjoy being read to as well. I now have a profound love for audio books and listen to many on my own iPod. Matter of fact, it's the only reason I own an iPod. :D It makes me feel slightly guilty to do audiobooks for some reason (not during "naps," though, I'm all for them at that time!) Time to let go of that guilt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Yup....and I yawned just now reading about your yawn:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 It happens to me too! Thanks for starting this thread, I thought it was just me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Joining the throngs of people with the yawning problem. I also find that I yawn while talking on the phone. Any time I talking so much that I forget to breathe. The sitting up straight and purposely taking deeper breaths is helpful, but I don't always remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Another yawner. And long bedtime stories often put ME to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfamilygal Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 My too. Constantly. The kids always ask if I'm tired. I mean, I am, but that's not why I'm yawning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi everybody! This is the first thread that I'm starting, and I have a question. I enjoy reading aloud to the kiddos, but I yawn so often when I do! I know it isn't because I'm tired, or bored, and I don't feel out of breath. It gets to be an annoying interruption at times. Am I the only one who does this? Does anybody have any ideas on what to do about it? :bigear: Thanks! Me too!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 And here I thought I was a weirdo! I tried to be better with my breathing while reading a bit ago and, well, it feels like every time I thought about it, I wanted to yawn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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