We did it! We made it through another year! 

Despite all the ups and downs of 2019, it’s time to wipe the slate clean and start over with a new year and a new decade.

And if you’re like many people, you’ve probably taken the time to brainstorm New Year’s resolutions, write them down, and even plan for how you’re going to accomplish them.

When they work as intended, resolutions can be a great way to make positive lifestyle changes and break bad habits that burdened us in the previous year.

Unfortunately, resolutions don’t always work as planned… According to a study done by the Journal of Clinical Psychology, about half of adults make New Year’s resolutions, but only about 10 percent pursue them longer than a few months.

It’s not hard to see why many people fall short of achieving their resolutions. Over time, we lose sight of what we’re trying to accomplish, and we may become overburdened by things like work, health, or other aspirations.

If you have COPD, you know that following through with your New Year’s resolutions can be challenging. Being able to accomplish your goals means having a strict COPD treatment plan that allows you to feel better and focus on things that are important to you.

In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of managing COPD symptoms if you want to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions, and how the Inogen One G5 is the perfect oxygen machine to help you do it.

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Health Should Always Be a Priority

Despite what resolutions you wrote down for the year 2020, there’s nothing more important than your health and well-being. While it may seem selfish to constantly focus on your own health, even the most generous people had to help themselves before they could help others.

As a COPD patient, the disease you deal with on a daily basis impairs one of the fundamental functions of your body — breathing. It’s difficult to describe what it feels like to suffer from a chronic respiratory ailment, but many patients describe it as “suffocating while being surrounded by breathable air.”

With that being said, you have every right to focus on your own health before anything else. While it can be easy to get ahead of yourself and start planning for all the things you want to accomplish in the new year, it’s best to start with your own health, ensuring that all your basic needs are met first.

COPD is a Distraction

Another reason to focus on treating COPD is that it can be a huge distraction when you’re trying to accomplish your goals. Think of it this way:

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Similarly, the fastest way to accomplish a goal is to address it directly. If you have obstacles standing in your way such as COPD symptoms, you’re going to have a hard time achieving your goals.

COPD is a condition that can occupy your thoughts and affect your emotions. It’s not uncommon for people to feel anxiety or fear about their health which can be a significant distraction when it comes to setting and achieving your goals.

The Inogen One G5 is Designed for Freedom

Oxygen has been used for medical purposes for hundreds of years. However, during most of this time, medical oxygen devices were bulky, heavy, and difficult to use. This wasn’t ideal for most oxygen therapy patients because it caused them to be immobile and home-bound for much of their life.

In the early 2000s, portable oxygen concentrators became the oxygen therapy device of choice because they’re much smaller, lighter, and can be used virtually anywhere. One of the latest and most popular portable oxygen concentrators is the Inogen One G5. This oxygenator offers a long battery life, lightweight design, and a high enough oxygen output to support most oxygen patients.

COPD is a debilitating disease in many ways, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the freedom to live a normal life. The Inogen One G5 was specifically designed to keep people with COPD moving without having to worry about their health. The following are just a few of the ways the Inogen 1 G5 will eliminate barriers that prevent you from achieving your goals.

Getting More Restful Sleep

Throughout your whole life, you’ve probably had people nag you about the importance of a good night’s sleep. This can be annoying, but it couldn’t be more true! Most experts recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night depending on your age. But if you’re a COPD patient, you may struggle to even get the bare minimum amount of sleep.

Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels) are just as likely to occur when you’re asleep as when you’re awake. As a result, many oxygen patients need to be able to sleep with their oxygen therapy device. Otherwise, they may not experience the benefits of a full night’s sleep.

COPD often coexists with sleeping disorders like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in something called overlap syndrome. What this means is that the patient has both lung inflammation due to COPD and their airways collapse at night due to sleep apnea. In this case, it’s imperative that they have both their CPAP or BiPAP machine and their oxygen therapy device on at night.

The Inogen One G5 is compatible with CPAP and BiPAP machines meaning you’ll be able to feed oxygen directly into your CPAP mask as you sleep. It won’t interfere with the effects of the sleep apnea device and you’ll be able to experience a restful night’s sleep every night.

The Inogen One G5, like other Inogen 1 portable oxygen concentrators, is designed for 24/7 use. So, you won’t have to worry about running your device all throughout the day or turning it off once you get in bed.

According to healthfinder.gov, a full night’s sleep will boost your immune system, help you manage your weight, reduce stress, and improve your mood. All of these things are important if you want to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions.

See More and Do More

If your New Year’s resolutions involve anything physical or fitness related, you’re going to need an oxygen concentrator that matches this new lifestyle. Maybe you decided that you want to be able to walk a mile or you want to visit every state in the country. These are great resolutions to pursue, but they aren’t achievable unless you’re prepared. 

The Inogen One G5 is equipped with everything you could possibly need to travel the world with your oxygen machine. It weighs in at just 4.7 pounds, making it one of the lightest oxygenators on the market. What’s more, it offers up to 13 hours of battery life on a flow setting of 1 (its lowest flow setting). This is more than enough battery to stay out all day without any problems.

The G5 is also very compact making it very easy to carry and store. Unlike oxygen tanks, the Inogen G5 oxygenator has no compressed oxygen inside it. All of the oxygen that is sent out the nasal cannula is drawn from ambient air. This means manufacturers are able to make the device very small. And with G5 accessories like the custom carrying case and the G5 backpack, you’ll have plenty of options to fit your lifestyle.  

The Inogen One G5 is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a government organization that’s in charge of regulating safety policies for all major commercial airlines in the United States. All Inogen 1 portable oxygen concentrators are FAA-approved which means you’ll be able to carry your G5 with you on the plane. But it’s recommended that you speak with the airline a few days in advance in case you need to fill out any additional paperwork before your flight.

The Inogen One G5 is great for all other forms of transportation as well. If you enjoy taking cruises, you’ll be happy to know that the G5 will offer you the freedom to explore the ship and go on excursions without worrying about your medical oxygen. Cruise ships have electric outlets, so once you’re done enjoying your day, you can go into your cabin and charge and use your G5 all night while you sleep.

Last but certainly not least, the Inogen G5 is great for road trips and public transportation. The great thing about this day and age is that we have no shortage of options when it comes to getting around. You can take the bus, take a taxi or Uber, take the subway, or drive yourself depending on where you’re going and what your goals are. Fortunately, you can rest assured that the G5 will provide you with a reliable source of oxygen the whole time.

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With the Inogen One G5 car charging cable (DC power supply), you’ll be able to charge your portable oxygen concentrator no matter where you are. If you’re taking a road trip across the country, you can keep your G5 fully charged so that once it comes time to get out and explore, you’ll have ample battery life to keep you going.

If you’re traveling by bus, subway, or a similar form of public transportation, you need a portable oxygenator that’s small enough to take into crowded areas. The G5 is very compact at just 8.15" H x 7.19" L x 3.26" W which is almost small enough to fit in a purse or handbag. We recommend purchasing an official Inogen carrying case, however, because they’re specifically designed for the G5 by accommodating for the air intake vents on the side of the device.

Ultimately, when you have the freedom to go where you please and do anything, it’s going to be way easier to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions, especially if they involve traveling. Most oxygen patients who transition from oxygen tanks or continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators to pulse flow oxygen concentrators are amazed at what they’ve been missing out on.  

Relying Less On Loved Ones

It can be really frustrating getting into a situation where you rely on friends or family members for support. But what many people don’t realize is that even if you suffer from a progressive disease like COPD, you can take steps to reduce your reliance on loved ones. This all starts with ensuring that you have the oxygen you need to stay healthy.

The Inogen One G5 has the highest oxygen output of any pulse flow POC on the market. It goes up to a setting of 6 which is the equivalent of 1260 ml/min of 90% (+6%/-3%) oxygen. This is enough oxygen for the vast majority of oxygen patients. What’s more, due to Intelligent Delivery Technology, oxygen is delivered at a precise moment during inspiration, ensuring that the device runs as efficiently as possible, day and night.

Another reason you’ll rely less on your loved ones is because the G5 doesn’t need to be refilled. Oxygen tanks and portable oxygen tanks can only hold a limited amount of oxygen, so once they run out, you either need to have a backup tank, or you need to refill it with oxygen. There are special home oxygen concentrators which can refill your tank, but many people have to visit oxygen refill stations. On the other hand, the G5 doesn’t hold oxygen. It pulls in ambient air and removes the nitrogen meaning it has an infinite supply of oxygen as long as it has battery life.

It’s not a bad thing to rely on friends and family for support. But if you notice you’re losing more and more of your freedom because you need someone by your side all day and night, you should take steps to improve your self-reliance. Not only does self-reliance allow you to live life on your own terms, but it will give you the confidence you need to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions.

Improving Peace of Mind

As a COPD patient, you know what it’s like to have a bad day. Exacerbations can occur seemingly anywhere or at any time and you never know when the next fit of breathlessness or coughing will happen. If you have an unreliable source of oxygen, this will only amplify your issues and give you one more reason to feel anxious or worried.

Without a doubt, Inogen produces the most reliable oxygen concentrators in the industry. Ever since its inception in the early 2000s, Inogen has produced some of the most durable medical oxygen units and they’ve only gotten better with each successive generation. The compressor in the G5 is set to last 20,000 hours and other components such as the filters can last years without being replaced. As long as you take several precautions when using your Inogen One G5, you’ll be happy to know that your unit can run 24/7 without problems.

Peace of mind is very important when it comes to achieving your New Year’s resolutions. It’s very difficult to accomplish goals if you’re feeling anxious or concerned about not receiving the oxygen you need throughout the day. You may feel unmotivated to even get out of bed in the morning because it’s better to play it safe than to risk experiencing an exacerbation.   

Reducing Financial Insecurity

Financial well-being is another major concern for many COPD patients. You probably already spend a lot of money out-of-pocket on things like medication, doctor’s visits, and pulmonary rehabilitation, so adding another cost to the mix can be devastating for many respiratory patients.

You’ve probably heard Medicare or private health insurance companies refer to portable oxygen concentrators as “luxury items.” Fortunately, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Calling them luxury items is their way of justifying their lack of coverage for these units. They’ll have you believe that portable oxygen concentrators are not necessary and that oxygen tanks are all you need.

While the upfront cost of concentrators is more than that of oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen tanks, in the long run, you will be saving a lot because you’ll never have the need to refill your unit or purchase additional tanks as “backups.” Another reason oxygen tanks are more expensive is because they usually don’t come with warranties to protect you if something breaks.

Financial well-being plays an important role in your ability to keep New Year’s resolutions. If you’re caught up in trying to pay the bills, you’re not going to have the time or attention to allocate towards your goals and aspirations. What’s more, if your goals require you to spend a substantial sum of money, you may not be willing to expend it. Alternatively, you’ll need to save the money to fall back on if you’re faced with more expenses. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, many respiratory patients rely on their oxygen machines. It’s the most fundamental way of treating symptoms like breathlessness, chest pain, coughing, wheezing, and more. And without a reliable medical oxygen device, COPD and cystic fibrosis patients are housebound without the freedom to live life on their own terms.

For the large majority of oxygen users, the Inogen One G5 is the best portable oxygen concentrator to both meet their needs and allow them to set and achieve goals without relying on friends or loved ones. If you’d like to learn more about what the Inogen One G5 has to offer, check out this guide. And be sure to stay tuned to our blog for the latest news on portable oxygen concentrators, home oxygen concentrators, and much more.