Teary eyes during yawning are surprisingly common and usually nothing to worry about. It's often caused by the physical act of yawning itself.
The Mechanics of Yawning and Tear Production
When you yawn, you engage multiple facial muscles. This muscle contraction can put pressure on the lacrimal glands, also known as tear glands. This pressure stimulates tear production, leading to watery eyes. Think of it like squeezing a tube of toothpaste—more pressure means more output. The intensity of your yawn and how tightly you contract your facial muscles influence how much your eyes water. [Source: Medical News Today, Self.com, Reddit]
Additionally, eye fatigue or dryness can also contribute. If your eyes are already dry, the act of yawning can trigger them to produce tears as a response to compensate for the dryness. [Source: Medical News Today, Healthline]
Is it Always Normal?
While usually harmless, excessively watery eyes during yawning could sometimes indicate underlying eye conditions. However, in most cases, this symptom is a perfectly normal response to the physical act of yawning. [Source: Healthline]
Other Factors
The sources also mention that while the precise evolutionary reason for this isn't clearly understood, the connection between yawning and tear production is a natural physiological response. [Source: Well+Good]
In summary, crying while yawning is typically a result of pressure on the tear glands during facial muscle contraction. It can also be associated with dryness or fatigue in the eyes. The phenomenon is generally benign.
