Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term respiratory condition that affects millions of people worldwide. COPD can cause a range of symptoms, including shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue. However, with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, people with COPD can lead long and healthy lives.

In this blog, we'll dive into goal setting techniques for people with COPD to help them achieve optimal health outcomes. We will also discuss the value of setting goals and how to do this effectively. 

Quit Smoking

Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, and quitting smoking is the most important step in managing the disease. Smoking causes inflammation and damage to the lungs, leading to the development and progression of COPD. Quitting smoking can improve lung function, reduce symptoms, and decrease the risk of exacerbations. Setting a goal to quit smoking is the first step towards a healthier life.

Manage Symptoms

Managing symptoms is an essential part of COPD management. Shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue can interfere with daily activities and reduce quality of life. Setting goals to manage symptoms can improve quality of life and reduce the risk of exacerbations. This can include:

• Regular exercise to improve lung function and reduce breathlessness
• Using bronchodilators and other medications as prescribed by a doctor
• Practicing breathing techniques such as pursed-lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing
• Avoiding triggers such as air pollution, dust, and strong odors

Stay Active

Regular physical activity is essential for people with COPD. Exercise can improve lung function, reduce breathlessness, and increase energy levels. Setting goals to stay active can help people with COPD maintain their physical fitness and overall health.

• Walking or other low-impact exercisesParticipating in pulmonary rehabilitation programs
• Incorporating physical activity into daily routines
• Working with a healthcare provider to develop an exercise plan that's safe and effective

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Maintaining a healthy diet is important for people with COPD. Eating a balanced diet can help manage symptoms and improve overall health. Setting goals to maintain a healthy diet can include:

• Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
• Avoiding foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, salt, and sugar
• Drinking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated
• Working with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to develop a healthy eating plan

Manage Stress

Stress can exacerbate COPD symptoms and reduce quality of life. Setting goals to manage stress can improve overall health and well-being.

• Practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing
• Identifying and avoiding stress triggers
• Seeking support from friends, family, or a healthcare provider
• Engaging in enjoyable activities such as hobbies or socializing
  

How to be an Effective Goal Setter 

Setting goals is an important part of managing COPD and achieving optimal health outcomes. Quitting smoking, managing symptoms, staying active, maintaining a healthy diet, and managing stress are all key objectives for people with COPD who want to lead long and healthy lives.

Working with healthcare providers, including physicians, respiratory therapists, and registered dietitians, can help individuals with COPD develop and achieve their health goals. By taking a proactive approach to COPD management, people can improve their quality of life and live well with this chronic condition.

Setting goals is an essential part of achieving success in any aspect of life. Whether you want to excel in your career, improve your health, or learn a new skill, setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is crucial.

However, setting goals is only half the battle. The real challenge is in working towards them and attaining them. In this section of the blog, we will discuss some practical tips on how to successfully set goals and attain them.

Identify your motivation:
The first step towards setting and achieving your goals is to identify your motivation. What is it that drives you? What do you hope to achieve by accomplishing your goals? Whether it is financial freedom, better health, or personal growth, having a clear understanding of your motivation will help you stay focused and motivated towards your goals.

Set specific and measurable goals:
One of the most critical aspects of setting and attaining goals is to make them specific and measurable. Rather than setting a vague goal like "lose weight," set a specific goal like "lose 10 pounds in the next three months." This will give you a clear target to work towards, and you can measure your progress along the way.

Create a plan:
Once you have set your goals, the next step is to create a plan to achieve them. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps and create a timeline for each step. This will help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Track your progress:
Tracking your progress is essential to staying motivated and on track towards your goals. Use a journal or an app to record your progress and celebrate your accomplishments along the way. This will help you stay motivated and reinforce your commitment to your goals.

Stay accountable:
Accountability is a crucial aspect of setting and achieving goals. Share your goals with someone you trust and ask them to hold you accountable. This could be a friend, family member, or a coach. Having someone to answer to will help you stay committed to your goals.

Stay flexible:
While it is important to stay committed to your goals, it is also essential to stay flexible. Life can be unpredictable, and unexpected challenges may arise. If you encounter a setback, don't give up. Stay flexible and adjust your plan as needed. Remember, setbacks are a natural part of the process, and they can provide valuable learning opportunities.

Setting and attaining goals requires commitment, dedication, and hard work. By following these tips, you can set yourself up for success and achieve your goals. Remember to stay motivated, stay accountable, and stay flexible, and you will be on your way to accomplishing your dreams.

The Life Expectancy of People With COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes airflow limitation and breathing difficulties. COPD is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and it is estimated that over 300 million people suffer from the disease.

The life expectancy of people living with COPD varies depending on the stage of the disease, with more severe stages having a greater impact on life expectancy. In this blog post, we will explore the life expectancies for people living with different stages of COPD.

Stage 1 COPD (Mild)

At stage 1, COPD is typically asymptomatic, and lung function is only slightly impaired. People with stage 1 COPD may not even be aware that they have the disease. The life expectancy for people with stage 1 COPD is close to that of individuals without the disease. According to research, people with stage 1 COPD have a life expectancy of around 14 years.

Stage 2 COPD (Moderate)

At stage 2, COPD symptoms become more noticeable, and lung function is further impaired. People with stage 2 COPD may experience shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. The life expectancy for people with stage 2 COPD is lower than for those with stage 1 COPD. Studies suggest that people with stage 2 COPD have a life expectancy of around 12 years.

Stage 3 COPD (Severe)

At stage 3, COPD symptoms become more severe, and daily activities become increasingly difficult. People with stage 3 COPD may experience severe shortness of breath, frequent exacerbations, and difficulty sleeping. The life expectancy for people with stage 3 COPD is significantly lower than for those with earlier stages of the disease. Studies suggest that people with stage 3 COPD have a life expectancy of around 8 years.

Stage 4 COPD (Very Severe)

At stage 4, COPD symptoms are extremely severe, and quality of life is significantly impaired. People with stage 4 COPD may require supplemental oxygen and may experience frequent hospitalizations. The life expectancy for people with stage 4 COPD is significantly lower than for those with earlier stages of the disease. Studies suggest that people with stage 4 COPD have a life expectancy of around 5 years.

So the life expectancy for people living with COPD varies depending on the stage of the disease. People with milder stages of COPD have a life expectancy close to that of individuals without the disease. However, as the disease progresses and symptoms become more severe, life expectancy decreases. Early detection and management of COPD are essential to improving outcomes and increasing life expectancy for people living with the disease. It is essential to work closely with a healthcare professional to develop an effective treatment plan and improve quality of life for people with COPD.

Oxygen Therapy and Life Expectancy 

Oxygen therapy can significantly increase life expectancy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by improving their oxygen saturation levels and reducing the strain on their heart and lungs.

Oxygen therapy involves providing supplemental oxygen through a medical device to ensure adequate oxygen levels in the bloodstream. The ARYA Airvito portable oxygen concentrator from LPT Medical is a useful treatment method for those with COPD as it provides a convenient and lightweight solution for patients who require oxygen therapy on the go. With its small size and long battery life, the ARYA Airvito can help COPD patients maintain their oxygen levels and improve their quality of life by allowing them to stay active and independent.

Conclusion 

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that can significantly impact a person's quality of life. People with COPD may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing, which can make it challenging to perform daily activities.
Setting goals can be an effective way for people with COPD to maintain their independence, improve their quality of life, and manage their symptoms. Goals may include exercising regularly, quitting smoking, managing stress, and managing symptoms.

However, life expectancy for people with COPD may be lower than those without the disease, particularly for those who have advanced stages of the disease or have other underlying health conditions. This can make it challenging to set long-term goals, and it may be necessary to adjust goals based on a person's current health status.

Despite the challenges, setting goals and working towards them can have significant benefits for people with COPD, including improved physical and mental health, increased self-esteem, and a greater sense of control over their condition. By working with healthcare professionals to set realistic goals and develop a plan for achieving them, people with COPD can improve their quality of life and live as independently as possible, regardless of their life expectancy.

If you are interested in owning your owning your own ARYA Airvito POC, you can call us at 1-888-416-3855 and talk to an experienced oxygen specialist about your options!

Flexible spending accounts (or FSA's) are a great tool to save money on healthcare, especially if you or someone in your family suffers from a chronic medical condition. If you use oxygen therapy, a flexible spending account can be a smart way to cover special equipment and out-of-pocket costs.

Unfortunately, many people who use oxygen don't take full advantage of their FSA. You can use your FSA to buy all kinds of oxygen therapy supplies, but many people don't realize this or don't think beyond the basics.

The truth is, you can use your FSA to cover just about any oxygen supplies and equipment that your insurance won't cover. That includes small things—like softer tubing or your preferred brand of nasal cannula—and large things—like a brand new portable oxygen concentrator.

But if you have an FSA, you've probably experienced the end-of-year anxiety that comes before your plan expires. This time of year often signals a mad rush to use up FSA money before the funds are lost forever.

When this time comes, too many people spend their extra funds on the first, most convenient things that come to mind. While this isn't always a bad thing, many people are simply not aware of all their options and how they can put that money to best use.

Fortunately, there is a huge number of things you can purchase with your FSA, and it's easy to use up extra funds if you know what your options are. In fact, extra FSA money at the end of the year provides the perfect opportunity to invest in a portable oxygen concentrator or other oxygen supplies you've been wanting to buy.

In this post, we're going to explain how your FSA works and how you can make the most out of your funds before they expire. We'll explain what kinds of purchases are eligible, help you understand FSA restrictions, and give you some practical ideas of what to spend your extra FSA funds on.

Using oxygen isn't always easy, and it's important to utilize all of the options you have to improve the comfort and convenience of oxygen therapy. To learn more, continue reading this article to find out how you can use your FSA to fund a new oxygen concentrator for yourself or a loved one this year.

Here's a quick overview of the information we'll cover in this guide:

• What an FSA is and how it works
• How to understand FSA plan years and when funds expire
• Limitations on how you can spend your FSA
• How to use up your FSA funds before they expire
• What kinds of oxygen supplies are eligible for FSA funds
• How to buy a portable oxygen concentrator with FSA funds
• What kinds of mobility aids qualify for FSA funds
• How and when you can use your FSA funds on someone in your family

How Does an FSA Work?

If you're already very familiar with what an FSA is and what it does, then feel free to skip ahead to the next section. This section is for those of you who aren't quite sure how an FSA works.

This section may also be helpful if you're a bit fuzzy on the details or need a quick refresher on what kinds of expenses you can pay for with your FSA.

What is an FSA?

An FSA, or Flexible Spending Account, is a type of spending account specifically for health and medical expenses. You can only get an FSA through an employer, and you put money in the account by taking it directly out of your earnings.

However, there are limits on what you can use your FSA funds for; in general, you can only use them to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. You also have to use up the money in your FSA by the end of every year, otherwise you lose the unspent amount.

The only way to put money into your FSA account is to get it deducted automatically from your paychecks. In general, you have to decide on an amount to contribute for the whole year and you can't change it until the new plan year starts.

The greatest benefit of having an FSA is that whatever money you put into it is income tax exempt. That means that you get to keep the full amount, before taxes, of any earnings you put in your FSA account.

For example, let's assume your income tax rate is about 30%, and you decide to contribute $300 from your paycheck to your FSA. Normally, you would have to pay $90 in taxes on that $300; however, since you decided to contribute that money to your FSA, you don't pay any income taxes and get to keep the full $300.

Because of this, there is always a limit to how much money you can contribute to your FSA account every year. The law limits each person to a maximum of 2,650 yearly, but your employer might limit your contribution to a different amount.

Many people try to max out their FSA every year to take full advantage of its tax saving benefits. Since you can use your FSA to cover such a wide range of healthcare expenses, it's generally not very difficult to find a way to use up extra funds.

An FSA is a great way to set money aside for future medical expenses like medications, operations, and medical equipment that your insurance doesn't cover. This can be especially useful for seniors, families with children, people with chronic diseases, and anyone who faces large or unpredictable healthcare costs.

When you need to spend the money in your FSA account on a medical expense, there are two main ways you can do that. First, you can pay the amount yourself and then submit a claim to get reimbursed from your FSA, or you can use a FlexCard to pay expenses directly from your account.

Here is a quick overview of some of the key features and benefits of using an FSA:

• You can contribute whatever amount you'd like every month, up to a maximum of $2,650 per year.
• The amount you contribute to your FSA gets taken directly from your paycheck.
• Any income you contribute to your FSA is income tax exempt.
• Your employer may choose to match the amount you contribute to your FSA up to a certain amount.

Now that we've covered what an FSA is, let's take a closer look at how it works. In order to use your FSA legally and get the most out of your account, it's vital to understand how FSA funds expire and what kinds of expenses you are allowed to pay for with your FSA.

The Funds in Your FSA Expire Every Year

FSA accounts work on a year-long cycle. At the beginning of every plan year, your accounts starts at $0, and any money you put in the account throughout the year has to be spent before the plan year ends.

At the beginning of the next year, your account gets reset to zero again, and any funds leftover from the previous year get forfeited. That's why it's very important to use all of the money in your account before it expires.

While the start and end of most FSA plan years usually align with the calendar year, this is not always the case. To avoid losing your hard-earned funds, make sure you know the exact date that your FSA plan ends and don't lose track of it throughout the year.

If You Don't Use It, You Will Probably Lose It

Even if you have money left over in your FSA account, you will lose it forever after the start of the new plan year. Because of this, many people spend December looking for useful ways to spend away the rest of the money in their accounts.

There are some exceptions, however; some FSA plans give you a month or two grace period to use unspent funds after the end of your plan year. Alternatively, the Affordable Care Act allows employers who don't offer a grace period to allow employees to roll over up to $500 in unspent funds from the previous year.

How your FSA works depends on the particular plan offered by your employer. Regardless, under most plans you stand to lose a significant amount of your balance if you don't use it up by the end of your plan year.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to use up all your hard-earned FSA funds before they expire. Even if the deadline is close, there's nothing to stop you from going on a last-minute healthcare shopping spree.

There are Strict Limitations on How You Can Spend Your FSA

FSA funds can only be used to pay for qualified medical expenses, which the IRS defines as “costs of the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body.” However, when it comes to the specifics of what you can and cannot pay for using FSA funds, the rules can be somewhat vague.

The IRS also specifies that the healthcare expense must also be used “primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical disability or illness.” However, expenses related to general health, such as vitamins and health foods, are not considered qualified medical expenses.

We'll go into greater detail on what kinds of supplies and equipment do and don't count as qualified FSA expenses in this next section. In the following sections, we'll lay out exactly what kinds of oxygen supplies, oxygen equipment, and other helpful supplies you can purchase with your FSA.

What You CAN Purchase with FSA Funds

Here is a list of some general healthcare expenses that are qualified for FSA funds:

• Medical care that you receive from any legal medical practitioner, including physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other specialists.
• Medical equipment, medical supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for medical purposes (e.g. first aid supplies, oxygen therapy supplies, and blood sugar test kits)
• Prescription medications
• The cost of your health insurance premium (but not dental insurance)
• Transportation costs you incur traveling to and from medical care
• Long-term care services (and, in some cases, some of the costs of long-term care insurance)
• Over-the-counter medications, but only if you have a doctor's prescription (excluding insulin)

Here is a list of some common products that qualify as medical equipment and supplies:

• Thermometers
• Antiseptic
• Bandages
• First aid kits
• Blood pressure monitors
• Defibrillators
• Sunscreen
• Condoms
• Prenatal vitamins
• Adaptive mobility aids (e.g. shower chairs)
• Oxygen equipment and maintenance products

What You May NOT Purchase with FSA Funds

Here is a list of some general healthcare expenses that are NOT qualified for FSA funds:

• Any “general health” items that are not needed to treat or prevent a specific illness, disease, or medical condition
• Toothbrushes and over-the-counter dental products
• Over-the-counter medications without a prescription
• Fitness trackers and pedometers
• Gym memberships and exercise equipment
• CBD products and medical marijuana
• Cosmetic procedures
• Dental insurance premiums
• Feminine hygiene products
• Diapers
• Hair loss products
• Medicare alternative insurance premiums
• Medicare part B insurance

Here are a couple more great resources for figuring out what specific things you can and cannot buy with FSA funds:

• The FSA Store
• General list of eligible and non-eligible items from Wageworks

You CAN Buy Oxygen Equipment and Supplies with FSA Funds

Fortunately for people who use oxygen, you can use FSA funds to pay for medical equipment and supplies that are necessary for oxygen therapy. That includes the cost of oxygen and oxygen equipment used to “relieve breathing problems caused by a medical condition.”

In the following sections, we'll go into more detail about exactly what kinds of oxygen supplies and equipment count as qualified health expenses. We'll also show you how you can use your FSA to pay for pricier equipment that may be difficult to fund otherwise, such as a portable oxygen concentrator.

How to Use Up Your FSA Funds Before They Expire

You can get the most out of your FSA by thinking outside the box and considering all your different spending options. That's why it's important to understand your FSA's full potential, and that it can be used to cover much more than basic costs like co-pays and prescriptions.

If you use supplemental oxygen, you can use your FSA pay for all kinds of practical supplies to make your daily life easier. For example, you can use FSA funds to purchase a shower chair for your home or get that high-flow nasal cannula you've always wanted to try.

There is a wide variety of FSA-qualified oxygen therapy equipment, adaptive mobility aids, and other supplies you can choose from. You can use your FSA to pay for small equipment expenses and for more expensive devices like portable oxygen concentrators.

In the following sections, we're going to give you some ideas for how to use FSA funds on oxygen and mobility supplies that will actually make a difference in your life. From portable oxygen concentrators to mobility aids to luxury oxygen equipment, we'll show you a variety of practical items that can improve your quality of life.

Since the money in your FSA account disappears at the end of the year, you should think about how to use up the entire balance before that date comes. Luckily, there is a plethora of worthwhile things you can purchase with your FSA, many of which you might not have thought about before on your own.

You Can Buy a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you've ever considered buying a new or used portable oxygen concentrator but worried about the price, you can always fund the purchase through your FSA. It's a great way to use up extra FSA funds, and it's one of the most worthwhile investments that someone who uses supplemental oxygen can make.

A portable oxygen concentrator allows you to take oxygen with you anywhere you go, without having to handle any bulky equipment. They are some of the lightest, safest, and most hassle-free oxygen sources available, and having one can be life-changing in the best possible way.

A portable oxygen concentrator allows you to move freely without being tethered to a stationary oxygen concentrator or heavy oxygen tank. This allows you to take back some of the freedom you lose when you have to use supplemental oxygen.

Buying a portable oxygen concentrator is a long-term investment that is also immediately practical; it is something you can utilize both inside and outside your home every day. Portable concentrators are also durable, high-quality pieces of equipment that you can benefit from for many years to come.

There are many different types of oxygen concentrators available in a variety of sizes and with a range of useful features. To learn more about the best portable oxygen concentrators on the market, check out the following links:

• The best portable oxygen concentrators of 2018
• Top 4 continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators
• Top 4 pulse flow portable oxygen concentrators

How to Pay for a Portable Oxygen Concentrator with FSA Funds

Even if you don't have enough money in your FSA to pay the entire price of a portable oxygen concentrator, you can still use it to cover part of the cost. Whether you have $200 or $2,000 in your account, you can put as much of it as you like toward the balance and use another payment method for the rest.

{{cta('fa8abc2a-1e88-4fa3-82fd-1cb5b9ed43b2','justifycenter')}}

Here at Life Point Medical, we offer great financing options that can make it even easier to pay for a new or used portable oxygen concentrator with your FSA. You can cover the initial cost with the money in your account right now, and then pay for the rest over time with low monthly payments.

You Can Buy a Variety of Oxygen Equipment and Supplies

If you use oxygen for any reason, you can get the most out of your extra FSA funds by spending them on new oxygen supplies. There is a wide variety of FSA-qualified oxygen equipment and maintenance items that can make oxygen therapy more comfortable.

In general, you can use your FSA to pay for the following oxygen supplies:

• Oxygen concentrators and accessories, including:
• Battery packs and power cords
• Compressors
• Filters
• Oxygen equipment maintenance items, including:
• Cleansing wipes
• Disinfecting and deodorant sprays
• Oxygen delivery supplies, including:
• Nasal cannulae & oxygen masks
• Extension tubing
• Humidifier bottles
• Nebulizer equipment
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• CPAP/BiPAP machines and accessories, including:
• CPAP machines
• CPAP headgear
• CPAP equipment cleaning supplies

Your FSA is also a great way to fund specialty oxygen equipment, which is often pricier than the standard equipment most oxygen suppliers offer. For example, you could use your FSA funds to buy more comfortable nasal cannulae or higher quality tubing supplies.

In general, you can use your FDA to pay for any oxygen therapy supplies that your insurance won't cover. To learn more about the many different types of nasal cannulae, oxygen masks, tubing, and more that you have to choose from, take a look at our guide on making oxygen therapy more comfortable.

There are many different kinds of specialty oxygen supplies you can buy that are designed to make oxygen therapy more comfortable and convenient. For now, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Examples of oxygen supplies that are eligible for FSA funds:

• High-flow nasal cannulae
• Nasal cannulae with soft tubing and comfort features
• A finger pulse oximeter to monitor your blood oxygen saturation
• Comfortable oxygen masks
• Replacement extension tubing
• Humidifier bottles that attach to your oxygen delivery equipment
• Sanitizing sprays and solutions for cleaning your oxygen equipment
• An extra battery for your portable oxygen concentrator
• Replacement filters for your portable or stationary oxygen concentrator
• CPAP/BiPAP masks

You can also purchase a variety of FSA-eligible oxygen and CPAP supplies from our online store. We offer a variety of different CPAP machines and accessories, portable oxygen concentrators, and other oxygen supplies.

You Can Buy a Variety of Qualified Mobility Aids

Living with a chronic condition that requires supplemental oxygen can be difficult. Many people who use oxygen suffer from breathlessness and other physical ailments that limit their mobility and interfere with daily activities.

The good news is that you can use your FSA to pay for many different types of adaptive equipment to make daily living easier. In general, adaptive mobility aids for bathing, dressing, and feeding all qualify for FSA funds.

In some cases, you might need to provide proof that your adaptive equipment is necessary. If proof is required, you will need to have your doctor write a letter of medical necessity (LMN) explaining why you need the equipment for your health and how it will improve your standard of living.

Here is a list of some common mobility aids and equipment you can purchase through your FSA:

• Shower chairs
• Shower grab bars
• Tub seats
• Bath transfers
• Dressing sticks and sock dressing aids
• Long-handled dressing tools (e.g. shoe horn, zipper pull, button hook)
• Grabbers
• Toilet modifications
• Adapted dishware and utensils for eating
• Mobility scooters (with a LMN)

Being a COPD caregiver is no simple or straightforward task; it requires empathy, endurance, compassion, and creativity to fulfill the many different roles and responsibilities that the job requires. It often demands a great deal of time and self-sacrifice, while also requiring a seemly endless well of energy and patience.

This can be a heavy burden for caregivers to bear day after day, causing frustration, exhaustion, and emotional strain. As a result, many caregivers find themselves in disarray, feeling so drained and overwhelmed that they neglect their own personal needs.

This kind of burnout is detrimental to your health and well-being, and adds unnecessary suffering to an already difficult task. It can also lead to negative psychological changes—like reduced patience and poor concentration—that could affect your caregiving abilities, too.

Because of this, part of being a COPD caregiver is learning how to cope with the physical and emotional burdens of the job without draining yourself in the process. However, that's easier said than done, especially if you have a very dependent loved one or patient who needs full-time care.

It's easy to get so bogged down by worry, stress, or the weight of caregiver responsibilities that your own needs fall by the wayside. But when you put so much of your time and energy into caring for someone else, it's important to remember to care for yourself, too.

That's why we created this guide specifically to help caregivers of people with COPD find better ways to cope, stay healthy, and practice effective self-care. Inside, you'll find a variety of useful strategies for improving your own well-being, including tips for reducing stress, finding sources of support, and finding time for yourself in-between demanding caregiving tasks.

Utilizing these and the other techniques in this guide can help you stay you afloat when you feel overwhelmed and help you keep up the strength to face whatever challenges come your way. When you have the means to keep your head above water, you'll find that the hardships of being a COPD caregiver are much easier to bear.

The Sacrifice that Comes With Giving Care

Some COPD caregivers are professionals who are hired either full-time or part-time to provide care to a COPD patient (usually) in their home; these are known as “formal” caregivers. In most cases, however, people with COPD are taken care of at home by their loved ones, which are known as “informal” caregivers.

In fact, most caregivers are close family members and spouses who make huge sacrifices to be a caregiver out of necessity, compassion, or love. Some caregivers even have to leave their families, jobs, and normal lives behind in order to to be able to move in with their sick loved one and take care of them full time.

That's because taking care of someone with COPD can be a very demanding job, requiring long hours and a great deal of flexibility. A COPD caregiver never knows when they'll need to rush their patient to the hospital or provide extra care during a symptom flare-up.

In many cases, being a caregiver requires you to take on a wide variety of responsibilities that go far beyond basic care. People with advanced COPD, in particular, sometimes need intensive, full-time assistance with all the major aspects of daily life.

Here are some of the common responsibilities that come along with being a COPD caregiver:

• Providing Basic Medical Care:
• Administering COPD medications
• Sanitizing and preparing medical equipment (e.g. oxygen delivery equipment)
• Assisting with COPD treatments like breathing exercises, chest percussion, etc.
• Assisting with exercise, walking, and other physical activities
• Responding to emergencies
• Coordinating and keeping track of all aspects of COPD treatment
• Providing overnight care
• Facilitating Professional Medical Care
• Transportation to and from appointments
• Attending doctor's visits
• Advocating for their patient
• Managing medical bills and hospital visits
• Working on health insurance claims and negotiating with agents
• General Home Care
• Shopping
• Preparing meals
• Bathing and dressing
• General housekeeping responsibilities
• Providing emotional support

To learn more about what it takes to be a caretaker for someone with COPD, you can find more tips and information in this guide: How to be a Helpful Caregiver for Someone with COPD.

Being a Caregiver Can Take a Huge Toll

Being a full-time caregiver, in particular, comes with an unimaginably large weight of responsibility that can be difficult to bear. It requires a great deal of self-sacrifice and the willingness to spend day after day putting the needs of someone else first.

The physical toll of being a COPD caregiver can be huge; the responsibilities are time-consuming, ever-persistent, and sometimes physically demanding. Because of this, many caregivers fall behind on important health-related activities and suffer from poor sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise.

Being a caregiver for a loved one with COPD can also be a very heavy mental and emotional burden. It often requires you to give empathy and compassion while putting your own worries and feelings aside, which takes a substantial amount of mental effort to keep up over time.

What's more, it can be heartbreaking to see someone you love fighting a chronic disease that causes so much suffering, physical limitation, and pain. It can be almost unbearable to watch a loved one's physical decline from a distance, but it's even harder when you're by their side every day as they struggle more and more to breathe.

Because of all these things and more, it's no wonder that COPD caregivers are vulnerable to burnout, exhaustion, depression, and a variety of other physical and psychological symptoms. In fact, the toll is so significant that it's caught the attention of researchers who have conducted extensive studies on the effects of being a caregiver for someone with COPD.

For example, one large study of 461,884 informal COPD caregivers found that suffered a wide range of problems that were directly related to their caregiver responsibilities:

• 35% had a health-related problem
• 83% had problems with their social lives and leisure time
• 38% of working-age caregivers experienced problem with their jobs or careers

Other studies have identified some more specific physical and mental impacts that caring for someone with COPD can have:

• Physical Health and Lifestyle Impacts:
• Loss of freedom
• Social isolation
• Sleep disturbance
• Fatigue
• Relationship difficulties
• Loss of intimacy

• Mental health Impacts
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Powerlessness
• Resentment
• Guilt
• Uncertainty and confusion
• General psychological distress

These difficulties for caregivers only increase with the severity of their loved one's or patients' COPD, as patients with more advanced symptoms require more care. And because COPD is a degenerative disease, people with COPD inevitably become more dependent over time, adding even more weight to the physical and mental burdens that their caregivers must bear.

Other studies have looked at some of the general needs that caregivers have with regards to their caregiver role and the hardships it brings. These studies reinforce the idea that COPD caregivers face some specific challenges that other types of caregivers do not, due to the prolonged, degenerative and unpredictable nature of COPD.

For example, COPD exacerbations are inevitable for people living with the disease, and the threat of symptom flare-ups—which can be life-threatening in serious cases—constantly looms overhead. This can cause a great deal of worry and stress for caregivers, who must always be prepared for sudden changes in their patient's or loved one's condition.

Of course, being a caregiver is about much more than just sickness and hardship and suffering—it can also be meaningful, rewarding, and a powerful act of love. Caregiving can also be an opportunity for personal development and bonding, and can even bring families closer together.

Even so, getting through the difficult parts of caring for someone with COPD isn't an easy or simple task. That's why you need a variety of personal coping strategies and sources of outside support that you can lean on when things get tough.

Coping Strategies for Caregivers

Taking care of someone with a chronic disease can be both physically exhausting and mentally draining. This is especially true if you are a full-time or primary caregiver for a loved one with COPD.

If you're not careful, you can easily get burned out or overwhelmed, which isn't good for you or the person for whom you are responsible for caring. That's why it's so important to keep sight of your own well-being and find strategies to help you balance your own needs with your care-giving responsibilities.

In the following sections, we offer some practical strategies that can help you keep strong through hardships and avoid falling into the common slump of burnout and fatigue. That way, you can keep yourself healthy and sane while continuing to be the best caregiver you can be.

Know the Signs of Burnout

The best way to avoid getting burned out and fatigued is to recognize the early warning signs. For example, you might be on the road to burnout if you notice you're feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or struggling more than usual to cope with stress.

Here are some common signs of burnout you should watch out for:

• Feelings of dread or disillusionment regarding your work and responsibilities
• Chronic stress or anxiety
• Isolation
• Poor performance and/or productivity (in work and other responsibilities)
• Poor sleep and/or fatigue
• Intestinal issues or poor appetite
• Excessive cynicism and/or irritability (both on the job or in other aspects of life)
• Changes in appetite
• Body aches and pains
• Increased irritability, impatience, or being quick to anger
• Lack of interest in activities and recreation
• Use of drugs, alcohol, or other unhealthy habits as a coping mechanism

Burnout isn't good for you or the person you are caring for, so you should take these symptoms seriously when they occur. Don't brush them off until they gets so bad you can no longer ignore them; instead, take action to improve your situation before it gets out of hand.

As soon as you begin to feel your emotional fortitude or energy stores waning, it's time to take a step back and figure out what to do. The first step is to identify what the problem is, or what in your life you are missing: Are you doing too much? Are you losing sleep? Are you having trouble managing anxiety or stress?

Once you've defined the problem, solving it is a matter of finding some viable strategies to give yourself what you need. For example, you can improve poor health habits by figuring out how to make a bit more time in your day for self-care. If your trouble is coping with anxiety or stress, you could address it by seeking mental health counseling or participating in a caregiver support group.

You can find many other helpful ideas and solutions in this guide and in the many caregiver resources linked throughout. It may take some time to find a good set of strategies that fits into your daily routine, but the sooner you start searching and trying, the sooner you can find a balance and begin to see results.

Don't Underestimate Self Care

It's easy to get so sucked into your role as a caregiver that you start to neglect other aspects of your life. Because of this, it's important to pay attention to your own needs as well as those of your loved one or patient, and to develop a personal set of strategies for self-care.

Self-care is a broad term that can apply to just about any activity you do in the pursuit of your own health and well-being. In fact, pretty much all of the tips and strategies in this guide can be considered a form of self care.

A good self-care strategy is varied, balanced, and helps you work toward a more fulfilling and well-rounded life. You should aim to find activities that address both your physical and mental needs, in a way that helps you both maintain and improve your quality of life.

To illustrate what self-care looks like, we've provided several examples of common self-care categories below. However, these examples are far from exhaustive; self care can (and should) reach into many other categories and aspects of life that are not mentioned in this list.

Some Basic Examples of Self-Care:

• Physical Self-Care: These are activities that help you improve your physical well-being, such as exercise, healthy sleeping habits, healthy eating habits, etc. For example, setting aside time to exercise and cook healthy meals ,or staying home from work when you are sick, are both forms of physical self care.
• Emotional Self-Care: These include activities that help you manage and cope with emotions, such as relaxation exercises, emotional expression, and practicing psychological coping mechanisms. For example, taking time to journal and express your thoughts every day is a form of emotional self-care.
• Social Self-Care: This includes activities that help you connect with other people, such as keeping in touch with friends, attending social events, and nurturing both new and existing relationships. For example, scheduling some time to call and chat with a friend once a week is an example of social self-care.
• Spiritual Self-Care: This type of self care helps you find meaning and connect with your personal values and beliefs. It can include things like practicing religion, exploring your spirituality, and finding meaning in the natural world. For example, practicing mindfulness meditation or participating in a religious ceremony are examples of spiritual self care.

Don't be afraid to get creative; there is no right or wrong way to do self care as long as it helps you take care of your needs. Once you find some strategies that seem helpful and appealing to you, write them down somewhere you can find them later. That way, you'll always have your own personal self-care toolkit to reference whenever you need.

However, coming up with the strategies is the easy part; often, it's making time to actually do your self-care activities that proves most difficult. Luckily, a little creativity and flexibility can go a long way toward helping you find ways to work some self-care into your daily routine.

You can find more self-care tips and suggestions throughout this guide, and in other posts in our Respiratory Resource Center blog. You can also find a variety of ideas and examples of self-care activities from other online resources, including the ones below:

• Self-Care for the COPD Caregiver
• Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers
• Developing a Self Care Plan from ReachOut Schools

Take Advantage of Small Chunks of Time

When you're a full-time caregiver, making time for yourself can be a daunting challenge. The idea of finding time for self care and relaxation might even create more stress if you feel it's too difficult or impossible to do.

However, it's almost always possible to dig up at least a little extra time that you can use to focus on yourself. Even if all you have is a few minutes here and there, teasing them out, seizing them, and using that time wisely can make a difference in your day.

{{cta('fa8abc2a-1e88-4fa3-82fd-1cb5b9ed43b2','justifycenter')}}

It might help if you break down self-care activities into smaller chunks that you can slip in to smaller time slots throughout the day You could, for example, take a few minutes of quiet between caregiving tasks to read, meditate, journal, or just sit down and unwind.

For hobbies and self-care activities that take longer, you may need dedicated some larger stretches of time. Finding those hours might require more careful planning and prioritization, but remember: you are worth every bit of time and effort you put into taking care of yourself.

Make Yourself a Priority

Unless you specifically make an effort to practice self care and prioritize your own well-being, chances are that you'll fall behind. When caring for someone else absorbs so much of your time, it's just too easy put off your own needs and neglect self care.

In order to avoid this, it's important to make yourself and your self care a priority. That means truly valuing yourself and your well-being—not just mentally or theoretically, but showing it with your actions and how you plan your days.

It means showing yourself compassion, and recognizing that you deserve take care of yourself. It means believing you deserve the time to focus on your physical and mental needs, and believing you deserve the time to do things that make you feel happy and well.

Looking after yourself shouldn't be optional, and you should treat your own self-care like any other non-negotiable activity in your life. This is the true first step to successfully putting any of the strategies in this guide into practice; without it, you might never get around to using them in the first place.

Take a Break

All caregivers, even (and especially!) full-time caregivers, both need and deserve occasional breaks. In fact, taking some time off to recharge is not only good for you, but, in the long run, it can also help you be a better caregiver overall.

Unfortunately, many caregivers feel such a weight of responsibility that they feel selfish or even neglectful for spending any time away. However, if you don't get a break from that responsibility every so often, at least, you are bound to end up burned out and fatigued.

Of course, taking time off isn't always simple; in many cases, you will need to arrange for someone else to care for your patient's while you're gone. However, with a little planning, creativity, and delegation (which we'll discuss more in a later section), you're bound to be able to find another person to work in your stead.

Even if you can't get a full day off, it can be extremely refreshing just to get an afternoon or evening away. When you do, try to make the best of the time by focusing on you, letting go of any feelings of worry, stress, or responsibility for awhile.

Remember that taking some time for yourself is a necessity for your own health, and it isn't the same as abandoning your loved one or your duties. You deserve the opportunity to take care of yourself, and your loved one deserves a caregiver who isn't too burned out and exhausted to give them the care they need.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

Being a COPD caregiver often comes with a lot of stress and emotional strain. If you don't have strategies you can use to wind down, relax, and relieve that stress, it can take a huge toll on your health and well-being over time.

That's where relaxation techniques come in; they have long been the go-to recommendation from doctors and mental health professionals for coping with anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions. What's more, many relaxation techniques are quick and simple to learn, perfect for working into a busy caregiver routine.

Relaxations activities are designed to help you relax, clear your mind, and separate yourself from worries and stress. Many focus on utilizing the mind-body connection, a scientifically-supported concept regarding the ability of your mind to influence your body, and your body to influence your mind.

For example, when you feel stressed, it can cause physical reactions like muscle tension or altered immune system function. These physical effects, in turn, send signals to your brain that reinforce stress and other negative feelings. This creates a negative cycle of both physical and mental stress, but this cycle can be mitigated and interrupted by relaxation techniques and mind-body exercises.

Taking the time to focus on mental and physical relaxation can interrupt the downward spiral of stress and help you find relief. It can also give you a much-needed break from the worry, sadness, and grief that often comes with caring for someone with serious chronic disease.

Here are some examples of quick relaxation exercises you can do in 10 minutes or less:

• Practice mindfulness meditation (you can follow along with several free guided meditation sessions here)
• Do some deep breathing exercises
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation
• Do a body scan
• Take a few minutes to stretch your body and loosen up your muscles

Here are some examples of relaxation exercises that you can do in 30 minutes or less:

• Mind-body exercises like yoga or Tai Chi
• Do a longer mindfulness meditation session
• Take a 15-30 minute walk

There are many other activities that can help you relax and let go of stress, such as reading, taking a hot bath, or spending time in nature. Take some time to explore what does and doesn't work for you, and don't forget to use them in times of emotional distress!

Seek Help for Mental Health Problems

The stress and strain of being a COPD caregiver can lead to some serious emotional and psychological symptoms that you shouldn't ignore. In fact, it's quite common for caregivers to struggle with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses that can take a serious toll.

These mental struggles are natural and understandable, and it's okay if you're not able to able to manage them on your own. That's what counselors and psychiatrists are there for: to provide the help and support you need to regulate your emotions and develop healthy strategies for coping with whatever psychological difficulties that life and caregiving throws your way.

Give Yourself Some Credit

As a caregiver, it's easy to get so focused on the things you need to do or should be doing that you never think about how much you've already achieved. However, you shouldn't forget that you are providing a vital, admirable service that makes a huge difference in your patient or loved one's life.

People with COPD often regard their caregivers as heroes and saviors, people they (sometimes quite literally) could not live without. So give yourself some credit, and pause for a moment every so often to appreciate all the sacrifices and accomplishments you've made.

Whenever you start to feel frustrated, discouraged, or helpless—as many COPD caregivers do at times— take the time to reflect on your efforts and achievements, and remind yourself of all the good you've done so far. Doing this can help you cope better with stress and guilt, and help you keep a positive spirit when the daily strain of work and worry begins to beat you down.

How to Get Support

The burden of being a COPD caregivers is not something that anyone should have to cope with completely on their own. That's why it's important to find sources of support you can reach out to when needed, whether it's a dedicated caregiver support group, counseling, or simply a fun group activity to help you get away from the stress.

Join a COPD Caregiver Support Group

Many caregivers find that their family and friends struggle to understand what they're going through, which makes it difficult for them to provide the kind of support a caregiver needs. As a result, many caregivers end up feeling isolated and misunderstood.

That's why it's important to get support from other caregivers—people who can relate to what you are going through and understand what it's like to care for someone else with a chronic disease. You need people with whom you can share your worries, experiences, and stories, and receive personalized advice and support.

Luckily, there are a variety of different support groups specifically for COPD caregivers that offer all of these things and more. Many of these groups are remote and based online, but some places have local caregiver support groups that meet in person, too.

You might be able to find a caregiver support group in your area if you ask around your local hospitals, rehab centers, faith communities, and other organizations theat deal with healthcare, COPD and age-related diseases. You might also find more information on local groups through area-specific online forums and bulletin boards (e.g. Craigslist or Nextdoor) or via online searching tools.

Online support groups come in a variety of different formats, including:

• Phone-based support
• Online forums and chat rooms that host support sessions at specific dates and times
• Less-structured support communities that operate similarly to other social networks.

Several online support groups are run by COPD and respiratory disease advocacy organizations, such as the American Lung Association. Here are some links to some online support groups and communities for COPD caregivers and caregivers in general:

• COPD 360 Social is a large online community that is open to anyone affected by COPD, including COPD caregivers and people with the disease. You can participate in the group by following the activity feed, asking and answering questions, read the latest posts from the COPD digest, and more.
• COPD-Support offers a range of services for both COPD patients and caregivers, including an online forum (with board dedicated specifically to caregivers) and a community-driven email list.

COPD is serious, chronic, and life-threatening disease, but it doesn't always look that way. Many people with COPD don't appear to be as sick as they are, and the worst aspects of the disease are not always visible on the outside.

This makes COPD a “hidden” or “invisible” illness in many situations, which makes it hard for those who don't have the disease to understand those who do. Because of this, many people with COPD have their struggles dismissed or misunderstood, or even downright negative responses from others who doubt or shame their illness.

These reactions can make it difficult for people with COPD to ask for help, especially for those who already struggle with coming to terms with their limitations. When they do ask for support, others around them might still resist understanding or fail to grasp the seriousness of the disease.

Unfortunately, many people with COPD rely on accommodations in the workplace and support from family and friends at home. In order to get that support, however, they first have to get past the obstacle of convincing others to accept the reality of their hidden, chronic disease.

That's why we created this guide explaining how COPD can act as an invisible illness, and how to cope with the challenges that brings. Inside, we'll discuss how to cope with the social stigma surrounding hidden illness and show you a variety of practical tools and strategies for getting support, countering common misconceptions, and communicating with others about your condition and your needs.

What is An Invisible Illness?

An “invisible illness” (also known as “hidden illness” or “invisible disability”) is any kind of long-term health problem that is difficult to see. People with invisible illnesses do not look sick or disabled to people looking in from the outside, as opposed to people with more visible health conditions, such as people who use a wheelchair or show more obvious symptoms.

Essentially, people with invisible illnesses tend to have the following things in common:

• Their condition is not obvious or visible on the outside
• Their health condition is chronic and needs long-term management (it is not an illness that can simply be “cured.”)
• They experience symptoms or other challenges related to their condition on a frequent or daily basis
• Others often have trouble recognizing or understanding their condition, symptoms, or general struggles related to their condition

The term invisible illness includes a wide spectrum of physical and mental conditions, including physical disabilities, mental health disorders, and diseases like cancer and COPD. There are so many invisible diseases, disabilities, and other hidden health conditions that it would be impossible to come up with an exhaustive list.

However, here are a few examples of invisible illnesses to put the term in context:

• Chronic Pain
• Chronic Fatigue
• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• HIV/AIDs
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• COPD
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Learning Disabilities
• ADHD

Many invisible illnesses are conditions that don't cause obvious, outward symptoms that other people can see. Because they don't fit many other people's pre-conceived notions of what a sick person should look or act like, they often have trouble getting others to recognize or understand their illness.

In fact, people with invisible illnesses are sometimes treated with overt suspicion or disbelief by those who doubt that their ailments are real or as serious as they say. However, it's usually a more subtle prejudice that people with invisible illnesses have to deal with the most.

This can cause a great deal of stress anytime someone with a hidden illness needs to discus their condition with others, and make it difficult for them to ask others for the help and support they need.

Unintentional, subconscious biases cause others to treat people with hidden illness differently than those who fit the stereotype of someone suffering from a chronic disease. Because the condition isn't visible, outsiders are much more likely to act insensitively, downplay their suffering, or make false assumptions about their behavior.

For example, someone with an invisible illness might be perceived as lazy or attention-seeking if they ask for special accommodations or need extra time off to rest. On the other hand, when you have an illness that others can actually see, others are more likely to realize that certain behaviors and limitations are caused by a real health condition rather than poor work ethic or a lack of good character.

Many people with invisible illnesses are used to getting insensitive comments like, “but you don't look sick” or “maybe it's all in your head,” or “shouldn't you feel better by now?” This can be extremely frustrating and discouraging for people struggling with chronic diseases who have no way to “prove” their illness or make others truly understand.

How is COPD an Invisible Illness?

Even though COPD is a serious chronic disease, many people who have COPD don't actually look sick. After all, COPD symptoms vary widely from person to person, and even more serious symptoms might not be obvious to someone looking in from the outside.

Despite the toll that COPD takes on their body, many people are able to manage their COPD symptoms well much of the time and live active, fulfilling lives that make them appear just as healthy as anyone else. Under the surface, however, they could be fighting every day against lung function decline while also dealing with all the pain, stress, and other difficulties that come with managing a chronic lung disease.

What's more, COPD symptoms are not always stable or predictable, and it's common for them to fluctuate from day to day. Symptom flare-ups and exacerbations can come out of nowhere, causing even the most well-functioning COPD patient to decline into debilitating breathlessness and fatigue.

Because of this, someone who normally only has mild COPD symptoms can suddenly get worse, or even need to be hospitalized for an extended period of time. Even minor flare-ups can take a huge toll on everyday life, turning normally-simple activities into extremely difficult tasks.

Even when close friends and family members know about the illness, it can be difficult for them to understand what the person with COPD is going through. They might appear to have their symptoms and daily life well-managed, but in reality they could be struggling with any number of less-visible symptoms, psychological stressors, and other medical challenges.

On top of being an invisible illness itself, COPD can cause other chronic conditions that are often considered invisible, including several that we listed in the previous section. Hidden ailments like chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and mental illness, for example, are all common complications of COPD.

For all these reasons and more, some people with COPD struggle with their illness much more than it appears to those on the outside. That's why it's important for others around them to understand how COPD works, and why someone with the disease might need more help and support at some times than others.

Sometimes COPD is More Hidden than Others

There are certain circumstances in which COPD is particularly unnoticeable, or especially difficult for people on the outside to understand. For example, many people find it difficult to comprehend that someone who is young or who “seems healthy” could still be struggling with a serious, chronic disease.

Misconceptions about what COPD looks like can also make others less likely to believe or sympathize with someone who doesn't show the symptoms that others' expect someone with COPD to have. Because of this, people who don't fit the classic COPD stereotype are more likely to be dismissed or misunderstood.

Let's take a closer look at some of these circumstances to better understand why they happen and how they affect people with COPD. Then, in the following sections, we'll discuss some effective strategies for overcoming these obstacles and helping others' better understand the aspects of the COPD that are not so easily seen.

The Invisible Early Stages of COPD

COPD symptoms tend to start out mild in the beginning and gradually get worse over time. These symptoms are often subtle in the early stages of the disease, but they can still have a major effect on how you feel and how you live.

For example, someone with mild COPD might have to ration their energy and take special care to avoid respiratory irritants that make them feel sick. They may also have to make major changes to their lifestyle, schedule, and living environment to accommodate their medical needs.

Still, many people with mild COPD don't look sick on the outside, even as they face the physical and emotional challenges of adjusting to life with a chronic disease. This can make it difficult for others to understand the seriousness of the disease and the huge toll it can take on your life.

When Exacerbations Suddenly Occur

If you have COPD, you know some days are worse than others, and that your symptoms can flare up without much warning. These variations are normal, but people who aren't familiar with COPD might not realize this, and wonder how you can seem fine one day but then feel very sick the next.

Unfortunately, this can cause others to be skeptical of someone with COPD who experience these ups and downs. They might think you are exaggerating or lying when you say you're not feeling well, or simply not take your pain as seriously as they would if you had a more “visible” disease.

People may also not believe that it can take weeks to recover from exacerbations, and shame someone with COPD for needing to take so much time off to rest. This causes unnecessary guilt and stress, and pressures patients who are still recovering to return to work and normal activity sooner than they should.

All of this ignorance can lead to a great deal of conflict and resentment among less-understanding colleagues, family, and friends, and colleagues. It often causes people with COPD to feel isolated and misunderstood, and can take a major toll on their social lives and careers.

Early-Onset COPD in People Who Seem “Too Young”

While most people don't get diagnosed with COPD until after the age of 40, some people develop it much earlier. In fact, it's somewhat common for the first symptoms to start between ages 30 and 40, at a time when many people would assume you are too young to get a degenerative lung disease.

In rare cases people develop COPD even earlier than that, in their twenties or even teenage years. COPD this young is usually caused by a major lung injury (e.g. severe toxic chemical exposure), or a serious genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis or AAT (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency).

{{cta('fa8abc2a-1e88-4fa3-82fd-1cb5b9ed43b2','justifycenter')}}

Unfortunately, people who develop COPD early are often met with surprise or even doubt when they tell others about their condition. Even when others don't express any suspicion outright, they might be less likely to understand the severity of the disease, or be less sympathetic of their struggles.

After all, there is an expectation in most societies that younger people should be thriving, energetic, and free from serious health problems, a standard that usually isn't applied to older adults. People who don't fit that bill are often misunderstood, and may find it more difficult to get support from others.

For example, a person who appears elderly might seem more in need of help, and more likely to get assistance from others when they need it. In fact, proper etiquette often dictates that people offer help and accommodations to older adults without even being asked.

On the other hand, most people would assume that someone who is young is also healthy and doesn't need any help with physical tasks. This makes it easier to ignore or overlook a young person who is visibly struggling, and might make a young person with COPD less likely to receive assistance if they ask.

How to Make Your Disease More Visible and Get the Support You Need

In many cases, overcoming biases regarding invisible diseases comes down to communication. Because of this, it's important to learn how to discuss your disease with others effectively and get your message across in a clear and compelling way.

It's also important to have backup when you need it, in the form of educational materials, an advocate, or even the force of the law. In the following sections, we'll show you how utilize all of these tools and strategies and more to get the support, accommodations, and visibility you deserve.

Communicate With Others More Effectively

Explain What You're Going Through

When you tell someone that you have COPD, there is a good chance that they will not know exactly what it is. And unless you explain it to them, there's no way for them to know how the disease affects your life.

That's why taking the time to explain your situation directly can be so valuable. It helps others better understand you and what you're going through, and helps correct any misconceptions or false assumptions they might have.

This can go a long way toward strengthening relationships and helping you feel less alone or misunderstood. It can also help avoid tensions or misunderstandings that are based on a lack of knowledge or empathy for your disease.

Of course, you shouldn't have to explain yourself to everyone; you can live your life and ask for help without justifying your illness to everyone you meet. However, in many situations, explaining your condition and what it's like for you is necessary, and it can help you build stronger, healthier, and more understanding relationships.

Here are some tips for dispelling misconceptions and helping others understand your invisible chronic disease:

• Think about what you would like people to know and understand about your health condition. When you have to explain it to someone, stick to the most important things and keep it as clear and simple as possible.
• Try to explain your symptoms in terms that others can relate to or understand. (e.g. “I feel so fatigued in the morning. It's kind of like that feeling you get after a really long, stressful day of work, only it's the beginning of the day.)
• Be specific; instead of saying something vague like “walking too much makes me breathless” you could explain more precisely how the symptom affects you. For example, you could say, “Because of my COPD, I can only walk short distances without having trouble breathing. I have to stop and take breaks often just to catch my breath.”
• You might want to take the time to directly address any misconceptions they might have or any specific aspects of your disease that people tend to misunderstand. For example, you might explain the concept of flare-ups and exacerbations so those around you won't be surprised when one comes up,
• Explain (when relevant) what your physical limitations are, and what you are able and unable to do. This lets others know what to expect from you, makes it easier for them to accommodate you, and may even help others be more patient with any inconveniences caused by your disease.

Be Explicit About Your Needs

As the common advice says: if you want something, you're not likely to get it unless you ask. That counts doubly for seeking help or support with an invisible illness like COPD.

That's why the best way to get help when you have a hidden illness is to ask explicitly for the support and assistance you need. Whether you need physical assistance, emotional support, or specific accommodations, let those around you know exactly what they can do to help.

Remember that other people can't read your mind, and they might not know you need something even if it seems obvious to you. Even if you've told them before, people forget and make mistakes, and might overlook your needs without any bad intentions.

Still, it might seem frustrating when others don't seem sensitive to your needs; for example, if someone invites you to an activity that requires more walking than you can do. But instead of getting hurt or defensive, you could try to remedy the situation with better communication.

In the present example, you could politely explain to the planner or attendees why you cannot come along, and offer to help them find a more accommodating activity for future plans. By speaking up and being pro-active, you give others the opportunity to be more inclusive and considerate of your needs.

When you ask others for help, try to make your requests as simple and clear as possible; this will make it easier and more convenient for others to oblige. You're likely to find that most people are willing to help you out when they know exactly what they can do.

Here are some extra tips for successfully asking for help:

• Take some time to make a list of specific things you need help with (e.g. small tasks around the house like cooking, cleaning, or laundry), that way you'll have an answer ready whenever someone asks you what they can do to help.
• Don't be too general or vague (e.g. “I need help around the house”); instead, give people clear, specific tasks to do (e.g. “Could you come over to help me clean up the house once every couple of weeks?)
• Try to give others flexibility to do tasks according to their availability, and try to match them with tasks that fit their abilities and schedule.
• When others are making plans or decisions that affect you, tell them if there's anything specific they can to do (or any constraints they need to consider) in order to better accommodate your needs.

Learn How to Say No

COPD can make it difficult to keep up with social activities and engagements, especially when your symptoms can flare up at any time without warning. Some days you might just not have much energy, or feel too sick to go out, which can be stressful if you have plans or commitments to keep.

It can also be difficult for friends and family to understand why you can't always participate in activities and events. However, you shouldn't let anyone else pressure you to commit to anything that you don't feel well enough to do.

That's why it's important to learn how to say no to plans and requests when necessary, even when it's difficult to do. Managing your disease, your health, and your own well-being should be your first priority, even if others find it frustrating or disappointing when you have to decline or cancel plans.

It helps to give others advance warning about your condition and explain ahead of time that you might need to cancel plans if you feel ill. That way, if you do have to cancel, it won't be a surprise, and it will be easier for others to accept and understand.

Let Someone Else Do the Talking

Refer Others to Informational Materials about COPD and Invisible Illnesses

As hard as you might try to help someone understand COPD and what you're going through, sometimes it just doesn't resonate or sink in. It can be difficult for some people to understand a disease that they've never experienced, and even harder to fathom what it would be like to live with that disease.

What's more, it can be tiring explaining your condition over and over and answering the same types of questions time and time again. Fortunately, there are all kinds of great informational resources out there that can inform others so you don't have to.

You can find books, blog posts, video lectures, and more that explain anything that you or anyone else would need to know about COPD, chronic diseases, and living with invisible illnesses. Then, whenever you need to explain your disease or your struggles to friends, family, coworkers, or anyone else, you can give them supplementary reading or viewing materials to help them learn more.

These materials can be more than just educational, however; they can make a deeper impression that goes beyond learning new information. Talented writers, speakers, and video-producers can deliver powerful, poignant messages that help others better understand and empathize with what it is like to live with a chronic disease.

Here are some examples of online resources about COPD and chronic diseases to get you started:

• The video COPD Patients and Everyday Activities demonstrates the hardships of living with COPD by contrasting how a healthy person and a person with COPD completes normal, daily activities. This video does a great job of both explaining and demonstrating what everyday life is like for many people with COPD.
• The British Lung Foundation's Youtube channel features several interviews with COPD patients who talk about their experiences and how COPD affects their lives, including this interview with Jim and this interview with Chris.
• The animated video What is COPD? explains the basics of COPD—including symptoms, disease progression, and COPD exacerbations—in a simple and easy-to-follow way, using hand-drawn cartoon figures and diagrams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fFNGH4U6mI
• The 20-page document Life is Calling: Insights into living with COPD (PDF link) provides tons of in-depth information about COPD and what it's like to have the disease. It includes many case studies, testimonials, and direct quotes from patients living with COPD.
• The article What's It Like to Live with COPD? Offers compassionate insight into what day-to-day life with COPD is like, featuring interviews with a variety of different people with COPD.
• The article 'You Don't Look Sick': What to Say (and Not to Say) to Someone With a Chronic Illness discusses some of the most common insensitive comments people with invisible illnesses hear. It also offers practical tips for how to avoid saying insensitive things and use more kind and understanding words instead.
• The articles 15 Things People Want You to Know About Living With an Invisible Illness and How to Be There for Someone With an Invisible Illnesses both contain lists of more

Home oxygen therapy is a normal part of daily life for many people with COPD. But if you're new to oxygen therapy, or about to begin using it soon, having to make that change can seem daunting or even downright scary.

After all, home oxygen therapy is a big responsibility and having to use it can feel like a major intrusion into your life. There's a lot to learn and a lot to adjust to—but the good news is you don't have to do it completely on your own.

In this guide, you'll find all kinds of helpful tips and information that everyone using home oxygen therapy should know, including how to use oxygen safely, how to prepare for emergencies, and what kinds of side-effects you can expect. You'll also find lots of helpful advice for easing the transition to long-term oxygen therapy, including how to make your home more oxygen therapy-friendly, and how to make your oxygen equipment more comfortable to wear.

With all this information at your disposal, you'll be able to get a jump-start on learning the ropes and hopefully feel more confident about having to use supplemental oxygen. Our goal is to give you a good idea what to expect and how to prepare for oxygen therapy so it won't feel quite so difficult or overwhelming to do.

Throughout this guide, you'll find links to a variety of helpful online resources, including guides to related topics that we've published in the past. To see these and many of the other practical guides we've posted on oxygen therapy and COPD, check out our Respiratory Resource Center.

Using Oxygen Can Create a Serious Fire Risk

One of the first things you should know about oxygen therapy is that concentrated oxygen can be very dangerous if you don't handle it properly. The percentage of oxygen you get during oxygen therapy is much higher (up to 100 percent) than the oxygen in ambient air (about 21 percent), and at such high concentrations, it is a major fire risk.

Contrary to popular belief, oxygen itself isn't actually flammable; however, concentrated oxygen makes other substances that it comes into contact more flammable in a couple of different ways. First, it makes substances that are already somewhat flammable much easier to ignite; second, it causes fires to burn bigger and hotter, and can even cause explosions.

For example, petroleum jelly is not generally very flammable in normal situations, but, in the presence of concentrated oxygen, it can catch fire if exposed to an errant spark or flame. That's why doctors advise patients not to use petroleum-based products on their lips while using supplemental oxygen and to use water-based products (e.g. KY jelly) instead.

Because of this risk for fire, you need to be extremely careful about keeping your supplemental oxygen at least 10 feet away from flames, high heat, and other fire hazards. This applies to your oxygen tanks when they're in storage or in use, and to the concentrated oxygen that flows through the tubing and into your mouth or nose.

Even a small flame or spark can cause an accidental fire if it happens near the stream of oxygen coming from your oxygen supply. Even cooking over the stove while using oxygen is risky, as is using electronic devices that have the potential to produce sparks (this is why you should never use an electric shaving razor while using supplemental oxygen).

This is also why it's important to never, ever smoke (PDF link) while you're using oxygen; it could ignite the concentrated oxygen as it flows from your nasal cannula or mask and cause severe burns. Additionally, you should never allow anyone else to smoke near you while you're using oxygen nor anywhere inside your home.

You should be cautious about potential oxygen leaks, which can cause oxygen to build up in high enough concentrations in the air to pose a serious fire risk throughout your home. Leaks can come from oxygen tanks in storage or from your oxygen delivery system; that's why you should always assemble your oxygen delivery equipment carefully and never leave your oxygen running when it's not in use.

Experts also advise anyone who uses supplemental oxygen—or has an oxygen supply in their home—to put up warning signs in, around, and even outside their house. This helps remind household members and visitors to be cautious, but also to warn emergency personnel about the hazard in the case they need to enter your home during a fire or other emergency.

You also need to be careful about how any oxygen tanks you are using or keeping in storage are positioned and secured. You should always store oxygen tanks in a well-ventilated space (never in an enclosed area like a closet) where they will not be in danger of shifting, falling, or getting damaged in any way.

These are some of the most basic safety considerations, but there is much more you should know. Luckily, you can find much more detailed oxygen safety instructions and advice in our comprehensive oxygen safety guide.

You can also find many more resources online, including this one (PDF link) from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention & Control and this guide on oxygen cylinder safety (PDF link) from Intermountain Healthcare.

Whatever you do, make sure to learn everything you can about how to use your oxygen safely, ideally before you begin oxygen therapy at home. Make sure you understand their hazards and take the time to familiarize yourself with all the best practices for preventing accidents, leaks, fires, and burns.

Not Using Your Oxygen as Prescribed Can Be Detrimental to Your Health

If your doctor puts you on long-term oxygen therapy, it's because you actually need it. This might seem extremely obvious, but it's important to keep in mind anytime you're tempted to skip out on your oxygen therapy because it's difficult or inconvenient to do.

It's important to always do your best to use your supplemental oxygen exactly as your doctor prescribes, even if you don't want to and even if you don't feel like you need it that day. Home oxygen therapy isn't just about helping you breathe; it's also about protecting all the organs in your body from becoming oxygen deprived.

Unfortunately, research shows that only about 60% of COPD patients using supplemental oxygen actually use it for as many hours a day as their doctor prescribed. Most of the remaining 40% don't use their supplemental oxygen enough, and by doing so put their health at risk.

When someone with COPD has to use long-term oxygen therapy, it's because their lungs are too damaged to take in enough oxygen on their own. This results in hypoxemia, which happens when the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream falls below what's considered to be a healthy level (which can include blood oxygen saturation levels below 95 percent).

Usually, people with COPD don't need to begin long-term oxygen therapy until their blood oxygen saturation falls below about 90%. Having blood oxygen levels that low, especially over a long period of time, can cause a variety of serious health problems, including cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary hypertension.

Severe hypoxemia also puts you at risk for tissue hypoxia, a serious condition that occurs when there's so little oxygen available in your blood that some parts of your body can't get the minimum amount of oxygen they need to function normally. In severe cases, tissue hypoxia can cause extensive, permanent organ damage and even death if it's left untreated for too long.

However, using supplemental oxygen helps reverse hypoxemia and return blood oxygen saturation to healthier levels, preventing tissue hypoxia and the various other health complications that hypoxemia can cause. And that is why using your supplemental oxygen exactly as you're supposed to is so important and so vital for your health.

Supplemental Oxygen Has Side-Effects and Risks

It's important to remember that supplemental oxygen is a drug that comes with some potentially serious risks. It might seem harmless because it's “just oxygen,” but, in reality, supplemental oxygen is a medicine just like any other and you should always treat it that way.

Supplemental oxygen works because it provides your lungs with air that has much more oxygen in it than the regular, ambient air you normally breathe. This makes it easier for your lungs to absorb oxygen from the air, raising your blood oxygen levels and making it easier to breathe.

However, breathing in highly-concentrated oxygen can, in some cases, cause dangerous respiratory imbalances, including oxygen toxicity, excess carbon dioxide build-up in the blood (a condition known as hypercapnia), and—in rare cases—an increased risk for death. These problems are most likely to happen if an error, such as incorrect dosing, causes you get an excessive amount of oxygen.

This can happen due to patient error (e.g. setting the flow rate on your oxygen tank too high or not following dosage instructions) or from doctor error (e.g. prescribing too high an oxygen concentration or too long a duration for therapy). To reduce this risk, most doctors start COPD patients on lower oxygen doses and increase them gradually as needed, while also carefully monitoring patients for signs of hypercapnea and other adverse effects.

That's why it's important to use your supplemental oxygen correctly and treat it with the same care and diligence that you would treat any other type of medication. That means always making sure you get your oxygen dosage right and follow your doctor's instructions for oxygen use exactly.

Luckily, serious adverse effects from home oxygen therapy are pretty rare, though the risk increases with higher oxygen concentrations and longer duration of use. However, there are some other more common—and much more mild—side-effects that can occur even if you use your oxygen 100 percent correctly.

Here are some of the more common side effects of using supplemental oxygen:

• Skin irritation
• Ear pain
• Nose bleeds
• Dry mouth, nose, and throat
• Dizziness
• Reduced sense of taste
• Reduced sense of smell

Many of these side effects (e.g. dryness and abraision) are essentially discomforts caused by the oxygen equipment itself or how the oxygen is administered to your lungs rather than the oxygen medicine itself.

You Can Make Oxygen Therapy More Comfortable

Unfortunately, many people experience discomfort when using supplemental oxygen, particularly after wearing the equipment for long periods of time (as many oxygen patients must do). This is one of the main reasons why some patients aren't consistent about using their oxygen therapy or simply don't use their oxygen as much as they should.

Some of these ailments are caused by pressure and skin chaffing where equipment (such as over-the-ear straps and tubing, nasal cannulas, or oxygen masks) touches the skin, particularly around the mouth, nose, and ears. Many patients also complain about the longer length of tubing that hangs down from their mask or nasal cannula, which can restrict movement and easily get snagged or pull on the ears.

Another common source of discomfort is the air that comes from the oxygen supply, which tends to flow faster and be less humid than breathing ambient air. Over time, this constant flow of dry air can dry out your lips, mouth, nose and throat, which can lead to nosebleeds and split lips.

While this all might sound very discouraging, there's no need to despair! You don't have to suffer without relief, because there are many different techniques you can use to reduce and mitigate all of these common discomforts and more.

For example, you can modify your oxygen delivery equipment to reduce ear pain and irritation by adding padding under the tubing on your ears. You can reduce skin chaffing by covering problem areas of tubing with fabric wraps or fabric tape.

You can prevent extension tubing snagging and keep it out of the way by clipping it to your back or running it under your clothes. You can also get specialized equipment designed specifically for better comfort, including nasal cannulae made from softer plastic tubing that's gentler on the skin.

To reduce nose and throat dryness, you can use a humidifier bottle to add moisture to the air coming from your oxygen delivery device. You can also use a variety of (non-petroleum) topical ointments, lip balms, and creams to treat dry skin on and around your lips, mouth, and nose.

While these techniques might not eliminate all your discomfort completely, they can make oxygen therapy much more comfortable and much more tolerable to use. These are also just a few of many possible solutions that you could experiment with and adapt to your personal needs.

For even more practical tips and suggestions, check out our comprehensive guide about how to make oxygen therapy more comfortable, which includes more detailed information about specialized oxygen products and comfort-improving techniques.

It Can Help to Clear Some Extra Space at Home

Home oxygen therapy requires a lot of equipment, and that equipment takes up space—and a lot of it. We're not just talking storage space (even though you'll need that too), but also space for you to move around with your equipment freely.

Using oxygen at home requires a good deal of lugging equipment and tubing around, and you don't want to feel restricted or at risk of getting tangled up everywhere you go. Because of this you might need more wide-open space in your home than you needed before after beginning home oxygen therapy.

To get the extra space you need, you might need to clear out some clutter, re-arrange your furniture, or even re-think the overall setup of your home. Try to do this with consideration for how you personally use and move through the space, looking for ways you can make it easier to navigate your home without running into obstacles that could crowd you, trip you up, or snag on your oxygen tubes.

You should also be thoughtful about where you run your oxygen tubing, especially anywhere it lies across the floor. Do your best to keep your extension tubing from running across main walkways and other places where it could cause you or someone else to trip.

Finding the best arrangement might take some trial and error, but it's worth taking the time to get it right. After all, a living space that's cramped or difficult to navigate is not only frustrating (and affects your quality of life), but it's also a potential safety hazard.

You'll Need to Work With a Medical Supply Company to Get Your Oxygen & Supplies

Getting a prescription for supplemental oxygen is just the first step to starting oxygen therapy; the next step is to actually get the oxygen and the rest of your oxygen delivery equipment. Unfortunately, you can't get what you need simply by visiting a regular pharmacy like you can with most other prescriptions.

The good news is that you can get all your oxygen and equipment delivered straight to your home, but the bad news is that you'll likely need to arrange that delivery yourself. This can be a bit tricky, since it requires working with your insurance company (or medicare provider) to find an eligible medical supply company that offers what you need.

Keep in mind that different medical supply companies often have different prices andd different selections of equipment. Before choosing a supplier, make sure you know exactly what kinds of products they have, including what oxygen supply devices they offer (e.g. home oxygen concentrators or portable oxygen tanks) and other oxygen delivery equipment (e.g. types of plastic tubing, oxygen masks, nasal cannulae, humidifier bottles, etc.).

If you're not sure exactly what you need or what to look for, that's okay; your doctor should help you begin the process and prepare a detailed order (PDF link) for you to give to your insurance company and oxygen supplier. Your doctor can also walk you through the different equipment you will need and why you need them; for example, if you need high-flow or high-concentration oxygen, you might need to use an oxygen mask rather than a nasal cannula.

Most oxygen supply companies rent their oxygen equipment for 36-month (3-year) periods, at which point you can continue renting the equipment (for up to two more years) or switch to another supplier. During that 3-5 years, the company agrees to supply you with an adequate amount of oxygen, along with all other necessary supplies, and perform any required maintenance that your oxygen equipment needs during that period.

It's important to keep track of when your rental agreement starts and when you need to renew your contract (or find a new oxygen supply company), that way you can take care of it before the rental period expires. Being pro-active will help ensure that you don't have any gap or delay in your oxygen supply.

For more information and instructions for how to order your oxygen supplies, check out the following links:

• This article from Verywell Health tells you how to order oxygen through Medicare.
• This guide for choosing and ordering oxygen supplies (PDF link) from The LAM Foundation and COPD Foundation, which includes a helpful breakdown of the benefits and risks of 3-year versus 5-year contracts.
• Information about Medicare coverage for oxygen equipment from medicare.gov.
• This guide from our Respiratory Resource Center explains what you need to know about health insurance and oxygen equipment.

Keeping Your Equipment Clean and Maintained is Key

Unfortunately, your oxygen equipment won't stay in good shape all on its own. You'll need to perform some degree of regular cleaning and maintenance to keep your equipment working, clean, and safe.

First, you'll need to sanitize your oxygen mask, nasal cannula, and connector tubing regularly—at least once per week. You can do this by washing the equipment in warm, soapy water (to get off any mucus or grime), dunking it into a vinegar solution (to kill bacteria), and then setting it out to dry.

You should also clean your equipment (and possibly even replace your mask or nasal cannula) anytime you get sick with any kind of respiratory virus or infection. Failing to do so—or simply not cleaning your equipment often enough—allows dangerous viruses and bacteria to multiply and potentially get you sick.

You will also need to replace your nasal cannula or oxygen mask with a new one on a regular basis, usually about every two weeks. You will also need to replace your extension tubing about every 3-6 months, though you should always follow the instructions for the specific equipment you use.

You may also need to perform other cleaning and maintenance tasks, such as wiping down the outside of your equipment, replacing a home oxygen concentrator's filter, or checking oxygen tanks regularly for damage or leaks. Make sure you know what kind of maintenance you're responsible for and what kind of maintenance your oxygen supplier provides.

For more detailed information and instructions for taking care of your oxygen equipment, check out our how-to guide on Oxygen Equipment Cleaning and Maintenance.

You Need to Be Prepared for Emergencies

When you're dependent on supplemental oxygen to breathe and stay healthy, it's very important to make sure you always have access to your oxygen. That requires planning for emergencies like power outages and other situations that could affect your ability to use oxygen.

First, you should always keep an extra supply of backup oxygen in your home just in case you can't use your primary supply for some reason (e.g. if it's empty or malfunctioning). While you should never run out of oxygen in a normal situation, you should always be prepared for natural disasters and other emergency situations that could delay the delivery of your oxygen supplies.

If you use an oxygen concentrator that relies on power to work, you'll specifically need a backup supply that doesn't need electricity, such as a liquid or compressed-gas oxygen tank. That way, if there's ever a power outage, you'll always have a source of oxygen hold you over until the power comes back on.

You should also notify your electricity utility company once you begin oxygen therapy, especially if you have an oxygen concentrator plugged in at home. This gives you the opportunity to get on a priority service register, which can make you eligible for certain safety benefits like giving your home priority when restoring power after an outage; however, whether or not you can get any extra benefits depends entirely on your particular power company, so make sure to ask your local utility what they offer to be sure.

For a more detailed guide on how to prepare for emergencies when you rely on oxygen therapy, check out the Comprehensive guide to emergency preparedness for people with lung diseases from the American Thoracic Society

You Can Still Go Out & Stay Active on Oxygen

There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning to symptoms like fatigue, stiffness, chest pain, or grogginess. However, this is a reality that many Americans face, especially those with pulmonary illnesses like COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and asthma.

According to Dispatch Health, fatigue is the second most common symptom of COPD behind dyspnea (shortness of breath). This study found that the amount of COPD patients with clinically significant fatigue is around 50%, in contrast to 10% in elderly people without COPD.

Although there are many factors that contribute to tiredness, fatigue, and grogginess in COPD patients, the most significant cause is decreased lung function. According to WebMD, it can take up to 10 times as much energy for someone with COPD to breathe as it does for their healthy counterparts.

As you can imagine, over time, this can become quite exhausting. Additionally, if labored breathing leads to reduced oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia), this can lead to further fatigue.

While we could sit here and rattle off all of the causes of fatigue in COPD patients, you’re probably a lot more interested in the solutions. That’s why, in this post, we’re going to be discussing some of the proven ways for COPD patients to improve their energy levels.

Whether you have mild, moderate, or severe COPD, these tips will help you take back control and start feeling more motivated in your daily life. As always, if you have any questions for us, please leave them in the comments below or speak with an oxygen concentrator representative.

Quit Smoking Immediately

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung disease in the world. A burning cigarette emits more the 7,000 chemicals, and when they enter the body, they quickly damage the air passages, air sacs (alveoli), and your lungs’ natural immune functions. 

Years of smoking almost inevitably leads to some of the most common lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and more. But lung damage is not the only thing that you have to worry about when you light up a cigarette. The way smoking affects the brain is of equal concern.

One of the most concerning chemicals found in cigarette smoke is nicotine. You probably know this as the chemical that makes cigarettes “addictive”. While this is true, it has far worse effects on the body than this. Like coffee, nicotine is a stimulant. Smoking a cigarette or two will give you a sort of “high” where you feel like you have a lot of energy and alertness. 

However, when the effects of nicotine begin to wear off, you’ll start to experience a crash and eventual withdrawals, causing you to start the whole process over again. Over time, this can mess with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle causing you to lose sleep at night.

Another way that smoking can lead to reduced energy levels in COPD patients is through the development of mood disorders. We talk about mental health a lot here at LPT Medical because, no matter how physically healthy you are, you can’t be happy if your mental health isn’t in check. 

Studies have found that, contrary to popular belief, cigarette smoking leads to increased anxiety, and smokers are more likely to develop depression and other mental illnesses than their non-smoking counterparts. According to Hopkins Medicine, about 75% of people with depression have trouble getting to sleep at night.

Manage Your Diet Carefully

If there’s one thing that everyone should be taught from a young age, it’s the importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet. While you can go through all of the foods you eat and pick out the “unhealthy” from the “healthy”, it makes more sense to think of what your individualized needs are and then tailor your diet to that. 

For example, COPD patients often have trouble maintaining their weight because they have a higher energy expenditure than healthy people due to their reduced lung function. This means that COPD patients oftentimes need to increase their protein intake. Loss of muscle mass (muscle atrophy) not only leads to fatigue but can also lead to osteoporosis and other bone disorders.  

Another thing you should do is replace simple carbohydrates in your diet (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) with complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, and fruits). The problem with simple carbs is that they are broken down and digested very quickly by the body. 

This leads to a quick spike in blood glucose and thus immediate energy. However, consuming simple carbs also means that you will experience a “crash” later on, which will leave you feeling exhausted and unmotivated. According to the Lung Institute, carbohydrates produce the most carbon dioxide in the body in relation to the amount of oxygen that’s used to break it down while fat produces the least. 

So eating too many carbs as a COPD patient can lead to increased breathlessness and fatigue.

One last modification you can do to your diet to have more energy throughout the day is to eat more frequently. While you’ve probably been told before that “snacking” is a bad thing, it can be incredibly beneficial if you do it the correct way. 

Many store-bought snacks like granola bars, candy bars, or yogurt are filled with sugar and other additives but if you create your own snacks, you can be sure that they’re healthy and won’t sap your energy. For example, a piece of fruit, some veggies, and hummus, or unsalted nuts will provide you with lots of energy to make it through the day. 

One of the best benefits of healthy snacking is that you won’t be so hungry once mealtime comes around, meaning you’ll eat less and won’t feel so bloated and exhausted afterward. 

Stay Hydrated

As a whole, the human body is around 60% water, the lungs are about 83% water, and the brain is 73% water. Water plays a pivotal role in some of the most basic functions of the body including circulation, digestion, and temperature regulation. And according to Healthline, being dehydrated can make you feel tired even when you’re fully rested. 

This is likely due to low blood pressure that results from having insufficient water intake. While there are many drinks you could consume to stay hydrated, water is always the best choice. The Lung Institute recommends that COPD patients drink between 64 to 96 ounces par day. 

In addition to drinking enough water, it’s important to avoid things like sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages. Although sugar and caffeine are great for a quick pick-me-up, they are not a good long-term solution to your fatigue and sleepiness. 

Alcohol, on the other hand, is a central nervous system depressant that causes feelings of sleepiness and relaxation. Overconsumption of alcohol has been shown to delay the onset of sleep and many people even experience sleep disruptions or poor quality of sleep. 

Get Tested for Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in the body’s function. They are considered “essential nutrients” because they have hundreds of functions from assisting in bone development to boosting your immune system. Unfortunately, many COPD patients are deficient in vitamin D which is responsible for regulating bone health and energy levels in the body.

Vitamin D assists mitochondria to use oxygen in the healthy function of muscles and various other parts of the body. In other words, when you are vitamin D deficient you’re at a higher risk for osteoporosis and low energy levels.

There are several reasons why COPD patients might be vitamin D deficient. Firstly, our primary source of vitamin D is the sun because our bodies naturally produce vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight. 

However, many COPD patients are not as active as they used to be before being diagnosed and may avoid going outside when it’s sunny because of the risk of respiratory exacerbation or heat exhaustion. Another reason COPD patients may be vitamin D deficient is their diet has changed. 

Fatty fish, egg yolks, and vitamin D fortified foods are some of the best sources of vitamin D. 

If you have reason to believe that you are vitamin D deficient, it’s best to consult with your doctor to discuss your symptoms. Typically, vitamin deficiencies are diagnosed through a type of blood test called 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D for short. Your vitamin D levels are measured in nanomoles/liter (nmol/L) or nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL):

• Deficient: under 30 nmol/L
• Potentially deficient: 30-50 nmol/L
• Normal: 50-125 nmol/L
• Higher than normal: over 125 nmol/L
  
  

Take Oxygen as It’s Prescribed

Supplemental oxygen is a type of medical therapy designed for people with impaired lung function. In the case of emphysema, the tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli become damaged and swollen. Since the alveoli are responsible for transferring oxygen to the blood and carbon dioxide back into the lungs, this disease results in low blood oxygen levels. 

Emphysema patients need to use oxygen as it was prescribed by their doctor in order to maintain the appropriate level of oxygen in their blood.

When someone with emphysema has low blood oxygen levels for an extended period of time, this can result in hypoxia or low oxygen levels in the body’s tissues. This can cause complications like headaches, confusion, fatigue, and even organ failure. 

On the other hand, increasing your oxygen intake to an amount higher than what your doctor prescribed can be equally harmful. Oxygen toxicity is what happens when you ingest too much oxygen. It can result in symptoms like difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.

One of the best ways to ensure that you have access to a reliable supply of oxygen wherever you go is to choose the right oxygen device. While oxygen tanks have been used by COPD patients for decades, they are not the best option for the majority of people. Portable oxygen concentrators tend to be a much better choice because they don’t need to be refilled like oxygen tanks do, and they’re also much lighter and smaller. 

What this means is that you won’t have to stop what you’re doing constantly to find a place to refill your oxygen device. Concentrators run on batteries, so you only have to carry what you need.  

One of the greatest features of newer portable oxygen concentrators like the ARYA Airvito, Inogen One G5 and Caire FreeStyle Comfort is their auto-adjusting flow rates.

If you’re using the device while you’re sleeping, the concentrator will adjust its oxygen output based on your breathing rate and breathing depth ensuring that you always get the optimal amount of oxygen. 

This will prevent you from receiving too little or too much oxygen while you sleep resulting in fewer interruptions and more restful sleep. And finally, if you’re taking oxygen as it was prescribed but you still feel out of breath or fatigued, be sure to consult your doctor before increasing your flow setting.  

Exercise Consistently

Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of their age and health condition. However, a healthy exercise routine looks different for everyone. For example, if you’re in early-stage COPD and your symptoms are very mild, you might want to try a high-intensity exercise routine. Conversely, if you’re in stage three or four COPD, you may need to resort to moderate exercise.

The important thing is that you’re consistent with your exercise routine and you don’t resort to long periods of sedentary behavior. This will keep your body’s circulation in check and ensure that you don’t overexercise.

According to WebMD, studies show that exercise is a great way to improve energy levels, even in people with chronic diseases that are associated with fatigue. By exercising, you’re improving your cardiovascular health and strengthening your lungs and muscles meaning your body, as a whole, will be more efficient and you won’t get exhausted from simple things like carrying the groceries or walking to the mailbox. 

Believe it or not, the stronger your muscles are, the less oxygen they need in order to function properly. If you want to start exercising but don’t know where to begin, ask your doctor about pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a course where you will learn the proper way to exercise with your disease.

Another way that consistent exercise boosts your energy is by helping you get restful sleep. If you feel restless and anxious when you go to bed, you’re not alone. According to SleepHealth.org, 70% of Americans report getting insufficient sleep at least once a month, and 11% report feeling this way every night. 

Sleep disorders are a major issue in the United States, especially amongst people with COPD and other chronic diseases. 

Conclusion

Studies have shown that fatigue is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of COPD. These patients spend a significant amount of energy just getting a full breath and alterations to their diet can leave them without the nutrients they need to feel alert and full of energy. 

If you or your loved one has COPD and is experiencing fatigue, restlessness, or sleepiness, try some of the tips above or consult your doctor who can help you get to the root cause of the issue. Most people are surprised to find that these symptoms can be treated naturally and without having to drastically change their daily routine.

In the meantime, if you’re in the market for an easy-to-use, reliable, and affordable oxygen generator, look no further than LPT Medical. We have a wide variety of units available including but not limited to stationary oxygen concentrators, continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators, and pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators. 

We also sell a range of different accessories to help you make the most of your new concentrator such as backpacks, extra battery packs, external charges, oxygen tubing, and much more. If you have any questions, just give us a call or email us and ask to speak with an oxygen concentrator specialist.