These tips to breathe easier with lung disease can help conserve energy.
Stop for a moment and take a deep, cleansing breath. For most people, a deep breath feels so invigorating and refreshing! But if you’re one of millions of people in the U.S. who are struggling with some type of lung disease, that deep breath may well have been a challenge. One of the top causes of death in the nation, lung disease covers a wide range of conditions: COPD, TB, asthma, pneumonia, and lung cancer, just to name a few of the most common ones. If you or a loved one falls into this category, take note of these tips to breathe easier with lung disease by conserving energy:
At Home
- Use a shower stool and hand-held shower nozzle.
- Store items, including clothes, between waist and shoulder height to reduce the need for reaching and bending.
- Keep a chair in the hallway for resting when needed and sit down for tasks whenever you can.
- Break tasks into smaller steps and try not to rush, which can result in shortness of breath.
Getting Dressed
- Sit down when dressing and undressing, and use aids like grabbers and long-handled shoehorns if needed.
- Avoid wearing anything that is tight in the chest or abdomen, like belts, bras and girdles, which could restrict breathing.
- Steer clear of heavy clothing as much as possible, such as coats and sweaters, as these items require extra energy to wear.
Shopping
- Let a caregiver from Compassionate Care Home Health Services assist with grocery shopping, or use an online grocery ordering service.
- Obtain a handicapped parking sticker to allow for closer parking to the entrance of the stores.
- Ask for perishables to be bagged together so they can easily be put away when returning home, letting the other items wait to be put away after a rest.
Meals
- Engage the services of a Compassionate Care Home Health caregiver for meal preparation and cleanup.
- Streamline the meal prep process, such as by using clean dishes directly from the dishwasher to set the table and keeping clean pots and pans on the stove instead of in cupboards.
- Eat multiple small meals throughout the day, instead of three larger ones. A full stomach pushes against the diaphragm, preventing the lungs from filling completely.
Exercising
- Exercising tones the muscles so they can work more efficiently. This also helps combat the loss of muscle mass and strength that can occur due to insufficient oxygen levels.
- Work with the doctor to implement an individualized exercise program.
Compassionate Care Home Health Services is here to help make life easier and less stressful by providing additional tips to breathe easier with lung disease, as well as a full range of customized home care and home health services. Contact us at 877.308.1212 to learn more about how we can help someone you love in Cadillac, Saginaw, West Branch, or the surrounding areas.