Tips on Managing your COPD

December 9, 2021

3 min read

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of conditions that affects breathing and airflow. Over 15 million Americans have some form of COPD, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While not curable, COPD—including bronchitis and emphysema—is manageable using a combination of medications and lifestyle strategies, especially when diagnosed early. Here are some of the most important things you can do to manage your COPD, reduce COPD symptoms, and improve your overall wellbeing.

Work With Your Doctor

When you've been diagnosed with COPD, it's important to lean on your medical team for support and guidance. Your doctors can help you select the best medications and services for you and refer you to other specialists as needed for comprehensive customized care.

Always ask questions and make sure you understand your doctor's instructions. Take all your medications as prescribed, including any supplemental oxygen. Schedule and show up to your appointments and check-ups.

Lastly, don't make any changes to your medications or lifestyle habits without first letting your doctor know.

Make Breathing Exercises a Part of Your Daily Life

For people with COPD, simply taking a deep breath can feel like a challenge. Specific exercises that work on your breathing can improve your respiratory function and even decrease stress and anxiety levels. Common breathing exercises for COPD include:

Pursed lip breathing
Belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing

Breathing tools such as an incentive spirometer or Acapella can help. Your doctor can show you how to use them.

Decrease Stress

Living with a chronic health condition is stressful. It's no wonder that depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions are common in people with COPD. High levels of stress can negatively affect your breathing, exacerbate COPD symptoms, and make it more difficult to care for yourself and others.

In addition to practicing healthy lifestyle habits described in the next section, as well as regularly performing deep breathing exercises mentioned above, you can also decrease stress and improve your mental health by:

Joining a COPD support group
Meditating
Journaling
Avoiding alcohol
Making time for your favorite hobbies and activities
Asking for help (e.g., hiring a housekeeper, signing up for grocery delivery service, getting a ride to and from medical appointments)
Talking to a psychologist or other mental health professional

Commit to Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Making healthy choices that are good for your overall wellbeing helps you manage your COPD and improve your quality of life. Healthy lifestyle habits can also reduce your risk of common COPD-related complications, including respiratory infections, pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure inside the arteries in your lungs), depression, and heart problems.

The first and most important healthy habit to adopt when living with COPD is to quit smoking. You should also take steps to avoid other airborne pollutants including dust, pollen, mold, pet dander, and secondhand smoke from others around you. If you're struggling to quit, talk to your doctor for supportive resources.

You can also manage your COPD and improve your overall health by:

Washing your hands regularly
Talking to your doctor about which preventive vaccines are right for you, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines
Getting an average of 8 hours of sleep per night
Participating in some sort of physical activity on most days, including aerobic exercise, stretching, and resistance training (if you're not sure where to start or how to start safely, seek guidance from your doctor or other licensed professional, such as a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, or certified personal trainer)
Eating a nutritious diet and avoiding processed foods
Maintaining a healthy weight

When it comes to improving your lifestyle habits, you don't need to be perfect. Work with your health care team to find sustainable strategies that allow you to be consistent with your choices.