Day to day with COPD

Having COPD can sap your energy. These simple changes can make your days easier and preserve your strength.

Learn how to recognize and manage COPD flare-ups.

Your lungs need clean air. So if you smoke, the best thing you can do for your lungs is quit smoking. Talk with your provider about ways to quit. Ask about support groups and other stop-smoking strategies.

Even secondhand smoke can cause further damage. So ask other people not to smoke around you, and if possible, quit altogether.

You should also avoid other forms of pollution like car exhaust and dust. On days when air pollution is high, close the windows and stay inside if you can.

Also, stay inside when it is too hot or too cold.

Your diet affects COPD in several ways. Food gives you fuel to breathe. Moving air in and out of your lungs takes more work and burns more calories when you have COPD.

Your weight also affects COPD. Being overweight makes it harder to breathe. But if you are too thin, your body will have a hard time fighting illnesses.

Tips for eating well with COPD include:

If you need to lose weight:

If you need to gain weight, look for ways to add calories to your meals:

Exercise is good for everyone, including people with COPD. Being active can build your strength so you can breathe easier. It can also help you stay healthier for longer.

Talk to your provider about what kind of exercise is right for you. Then start slow. You may only be able to walk a short distance at first. Over time, you should be able to go longer.

Ask your provider about pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a formal program where specialists teach you to breathe, exercise, and live well with COPD.

Try to exercise for at least 15 minutes, 3 times a week.

If you become winded, slow down and rest.

Stop exercising and call your provider if you feel:

A good night's sleep can make you feel better and keep you healthier. But when you have COPD, certain things make it harder to get enough rest:

Here are some safe ways to sleep better:

Contact your provider if your breathing is:

Also contact your provider if:

Ambrosino N, Bertella E. Lifestyle interventions in prevention and comprehensive management of COPD. Breathe (Sheff). 2018;14(3):186-194. PMID: 30186516 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30186516/.

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) website. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2024 report. goldcopd.org/2024-gold-report/. Accessed May 16, 2024.

Han MK, Lazarus SC. COPD: clinical diagnosis and management. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 64.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. What is COPD? www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/copd. Updated October 25, 2023. Accessed May 16, 2024.

Reilly J. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 76.



Review Date: 5/3/2024
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.