Exercise tests are an effective way to not only measure physical strength and endurance, but also how well you can breathe. They can reveal vital information about your lung function, your oxygen levels, and your general physical abilities.

This can help you and any health professionals you work with better understand and treat your disease. Because of this, both doctors and fitness specialists use a variety of different exercise tests to evaluate people with COPD and other lung conditions.

Why Take an Exercise Test?

If you have COPD, your doctor might ask you to take an exercise test for a several possible reasons, including to measure how severe your symptoms are, what kind of exercise you can tolerate, and to determine what kinds of treatments can help. They are also useful for monitoring general lung function and tracking improvements or decline in your ability to exercise over time.

Exercise test results also serve as a good measure of how your disease and respiratory symptoms affect your mobility and your everyday life on a practical level. Because of this, they are especially useful for evaluating people with advanced COPD, who often suffer from shortness of breath so severe that normal daily activities become a struggle.

There are many different types of exercise tests, each designed to measure your physical and respiratory abilities in a different way. The results can be used for a variety of different purposes, including to measure COPD symptoms, to design personalized exercise programs, and to determine whether or not a patient needs supplemental oxygen therapy.

That's why, in this post, we're going to introduce you to the five most common exercise tests that medical and fitness specialists use to evaluate COPD and other respiratory diseases. We'll explain what these tests are, how they work, and what each test can tell you about your health.

With this knowledge, you'll know what to expect and how to prepare the next time your doctor wants you to complete an exercise test. Most importantly, however, this will also give you the vocabulary and the information you need to actually read your test results and understand what they mean for you.

Field Walking Tests Versus Laboratory Tests

There are two main categories of exercise tests: field walking tests and laboratory tests. Laboratory tests are usually done on a treadmill or exercise bike in a lab, while field walking tests are performed on flat ground, usually in a large, open space.

Lab exercise tests tend to be more intense because the exercise machine sets the pace and pushes you to keep moving continuously. This makes it more difficult to pause, slow down, or stop for a rest during the test.

During most field walking tests, however, you can set your own pace, pause, and take breaks as often as you need to. That's why, in many cases, field walking tests are better suited for people with chronic respiratory diseases, who often have serious physical limitations and low exercise tolerance.

Laboratory exercise tests can also get pricey because they require an exercise machine and other specialized equipment (e.g. electrocardiogram sensors). On the other hand, field walking tests can be done with minimal equipment, making them a simpler and less expensive choice.

In this post, we are going to focus mainly on field walking tests, since they are the simplest and most common types of exercise tests used for people with COPD. However, we will also discuss one lab-based test, the cardio-pulmonary exercise test, which many researchers consider the most accurate and reliable form of exercise testing.

We'll go over each test in detail so you'll know what to expect from an exercise test and how to interpret your results. We've also included some extra tips at the end of this article to help you prepare for your exercise test.

The following sections include: the 6-minute walk test, the incremental shuttle walk test, the endurance shuttle walk test, the sit-to-stand test, and the cardio-pulmonary exercise test.

The 6-Minute Walk Test

The 6-minute walk test (abbreviated 6MWT) is a simple test that measures how far you can walk in 6 minutes. This is one of the most frequent types of exercise tests used for people with COPD and other respiratory conditions.

The results give you a general idea of how well your lungs function and how much physical endurance you have. This can be used to determine how much your disease affects your ability to get around and help your doctor determine the best course of treatment.

6-minute walk tests are often done multiple times for comparison, especially before starting a new COPD medication or another type of therapy. In that case, you will take one test before beginning the treatment and another shortly after in order to see if your test results change.

How the 6-minute Walk Test Works

To complete this 6-minute walk test, you will simply walk on hard, even ground for exactly 6-minutes straight. The goal is to measure how much distance you can cover in that time without pushing yourself too hard.

Before the test, you will sit and rest for about ten minutes so the test technician can get a baseline measure of your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen saturation. Then, the technician will ask you to rate your breathlessness via a standard scale, such as the Borg scale.

The Borg scale allows you to choose from a range of numbers, one to ten, with higher numbers representing more severe shortness of breath. To use it, you simply match the symptoms you feel with the number that best describes them on the scale.

This helps you quantify your breathlessness in a consistent way that you and your doctor can use to measure changes over time. Breathlessness scales are used all the time in COPD evaluations, including regular check-ups and other types of exercise tests.

After taking down your breathlessness rating, the technician will start a stopwatch timer and have you begin walking on the track. To complete the test, all you have to do is continue walking until the timer reaches six minutes.

You should try to walk as far as you can, but you may pause for breath or stop walking any time you need to. However, the timer will keep running and any rests you take will affect your test results.

During the test you may also use supplemental oxygen, if you're prescribed it, and any walking aids (such as a cane or walker) that you normally use to get around. Just make sure to bring the same aids for future exercise tests so your results will be consistent.

Let the technician know if you feel too exhausted to finish or experience any severe or dangerous symptoms. Intolerable shortness of breath, chest pain, and leg pain are all urgent indications that you should stop the test.

When you make it to the six minute mark, the walking part of the test will be over and you can sit down to rest. The technician will record the total number of laps you completed, ask you to rate your breathlessness again, and record your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen saturation once more.

What the Results of Your 6-Minute Walk Test Mean

The results of the 6-minute walk test reflect your general respiratory health and give you a baseline measure of your physical ability. The primary result of the test is your 6-minute walk distance (abbreviated 6MWD).

Interpreting Your 6-minute Walk Distance Score

A longer 6MWD indicates better exercise tolerance and better lung function, while shorter distances indicate poorer exercise tolerance and lung function decline. Research shows that you need to increase your distance by about thirty meters (about 98 feet) in order to determine that you've made a significant improvement.

You can also compare your 6-minute walk distance to standard reference values in order to see how your results compare to healthy people of your age, sex, weight, and height. Your doctor may provide you with a table of reference values, or you can plug your 6MWD into this online calculator.

Since walking is a light and simple activity that's part of normal living, the 6-minute walk distance is considered an excellent measure of how much your disease affects your everyday life. Studies show that short distances (especially distances less than 150 meters) are associated with more severe respiratory disease, more severe mobility limitations, and a higher risk of death.

Interpreting Your Breathlessness Scores

Your breathlessness scores are also important, because they specifically measure how severe your COPD symptoms are and how they change in response to light physical activity. If there is little change in your breathlessness score throughout the test, this indicates that you tolerate exercise relatively well.

On the other hand, a significant increase in breathlessness indicates that light physical activity puts a lot of strain on your lungs. This is a sign of low exercise tolerance and more advanced COPD.

Interpreting Your Heart Rate Measurements

In general, the lower your resting heart rate is, the better your cardiovascular fitness. That's because your heart rate is a good indication of how hard your heart has to strain in order to do it's job.

A lower heart rate means that your heart can pump your blood effectively with fewer beats. This usually indicates better exercise tolerance and better physical endurance.

A faster heart rate means that your heart has to work harder in order to pump enough blood around your body to meet your body's needs. This indicates low cardiovascular fitness and lower exercise tolerance.

A fast resting heart rate can also be a sign of other health conditions, including high blood pressure and narrowed arteries caused by cardiovascular disease. It can also indicate that your blood oxygen levels are low, which can be caused by poor lung function.

Low blood oxygen levels force your heart to pump blood faster, which often resulting in a higher resting heart rate. As a result, your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation readings can help your doctor determine how well your lungs are working.

Studies even show that resting heart rate can reliably predict the severity of a person's COPD. Higher resting heart rates are associated with more advanced COPD and a higher risk of death from the disease.

Interpreting Your Oxygen Saturation Reading

Another important measure is your blood oxygen saturation readings, which are usually recorded before, after, and sometimes during the test. This number is usually written as your SpO2%, and it can tell you if, and to what degree, basic exercise causes your oxygen levels to drop.

When your blood oxygen saturation falls to low—below 95%--it is known as hypoxemia, a potentially dangerous condition that requires treatment (often with supplemental oxygen therapy) to correct. This happens when your lungs can't absorb enough oxygen to supply your body with the full amount that it needs.

Some people with COPD experience chronic hypoxemia, meaning their blood oxygen levels tend to be too low most of the time. Hypoxemia tends to get more severe as COPD progresses, and the severity of hypoxemia is a good indication of how advanced your COPD is.

Blood oxygen saturation readings are also the main determining factor when deciding whether or not someone needs to use supplemental oxygen. In most cases, people with COPD and other chronic respiratory diseases begin supplemental oxygen therapy when their oxygen levels fall below about 90%.

However, some people with COPD only experience low blood oxygen saturation when they exercise, a condition commonly referred to as exercise-induced oxygen de-saturation. This can be difficult to catch during normal check-ups and exams, since it only occurs during physical activity.

Because of this, exercise tests like the 6-minute walk test (and especially the incremental shuttle walk test, which we'll discuss next) are useful for catching exercise-induced hypoxemia in people with respiratory diseases. By recording your oxygen saturation levels at different points during the test, it can reveal whether or not exercise causes them to drop.

Putting it All Together

All of this information helps your doctor determine how severe your symptoms are and make a more accurate prognosis for your disease. For instance, a variety of studies have shown that, in general, lower 6MWT scores in people with COPD are associated with a higher risk for hospitalization or death.

This isn't surprising, since studies have long shown that physical activity and exercise are vital for maintaining health, breathing efficiency, and physical mobility in people with COPD. Because of this, exercise capacity is generally a pretty good predictor of how advanced the disease is and what kinds of outcomes you can expect.

In many cases, however, the primary purpose of the 6-minute walk test is to establish a baseline to compare future 6MWT results against. Then, repeat tests will reveal how your endurance, which is representative of your overall lung function, improves or declines over time.

The Incremental Shuttle Walk Test

The incremental shuttle walk test (abbreviated ISWT) is another walking exercise used to measure both lung function and physical endurance. However, the ISWT is slightly more challenging than the 6-minute walk test because it pushes you to walk more quickly and for a longer period of time.

The goal of the ISWT is to see how many times you can walk up and down a short track while steadily increasing your speed. You'll be supervised by a technician who will record basic data about your heart rate, oxygen levels, and breathing symptoms at regular intervals during the test.

The goal of the test is to measure your lung function as you progressively work up to your maximum exercise capacity. This gives you a solid measure of your endurance and how your oxygen levels change as you increase your exercise intensity.

Like the 6-minute walk test, you may need to take the ISWT on more than one occasion in order to see if the results change. This is particularly useful for measuring whether or not a new medication, exercise program, or other treatment is helping you or not.

How the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test Works

To take an incremental shuttle walk test, you will walk on a course made up of two cones placed about thirty feet apart on hard, flat ground. The full path you walk from cone to cone is exactly ten meters (or about 32 feet) in length.

Each time you complete a trip from one cone to another, you've finished a single increment, or shuttle. When you take the test, you will complete multiple shuttles one after the other at gradually increasing speeds.

Before the test, your doctor will tell you when and if you should use your bronchodilator and other medications on the testing day. To be safe, you should always bring your bronchodilator medication, your supplemental oxygen (if you use it), and any walking aids you normally use.

In order to keep the test consistent, incremental shuttle walk tests are always led by a tape of recorded audio instructions. Although you will have a test technician to help you, the recording will be your main source of instruction throughout the test; it will tell you exactly when to start and set your walking pace.

As you walk, the recording will play tones (or beeps) in a steady rhythm to match the beat of your steps. To complete each shuttle, you will walk in time with recording, taking one step each time you hear a beep.

The tones will play slowly at first but speed up slightly every minute, forcing you to increase your walking pace gradually throughout the test. The recording is also timed so that you have to complete each full shuttle in a specific amount of time before an end tone plays.

As you walk, the technician running your test will record several physical measures at regular intervals, including your heart rate (in beats per minute), your blood oxygen saturation (written as SpO2 %), and what degree of breathlessness you experience. You may stop the test at any time if it becomes too difficult to breathe or if you get too exhausted to continue.

The incremental shuttle walking test ends when you can no longer go on or when you can no longer keep up with the pace set by the recording. Once you finish, the technician will immediately record your blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and breathing symptoms again.

Then, after you've had two minutes to rest, the technician will take all these measurements one final time. He will also record the final number of shuttles you walked and your reason for stopping the test.

Check out this video to see an example of how an actual incremental shuttle walk test is performed.

What the Results of Your Incremental Shuttle Walk Test Mean

At the end of your incremental shuttle walk test, the results will show your SpO2, heart rate, and breathlessness at each minute during the test. It will also state why you had to stop the test and the total number of shuttles you were able to complete.

These are important measures that can tell you a variety of things about your physical fitness and your overall respiratory health. Some of these measures are very similar to the ones taken during the 6-minute walk test, so we will go over them only briefly again here.

Interpreting Your Blood Oxygen Saturation Scores

As we discussed earlier in this post, your blood oxygen concentration, or SpO2, tells you how much oxygen is in your blood. This indicates how well your lungs are functioning; an SpO2 above 95% is considered normal, while anything less indicates that you have hypoxemia.

One of the most important things an incremental shuttle walk test can reveal is how your blood oxygen saturation changes throughout the course of the test. This can reveal whether or not you experience exercise-induced hypoxemia and help your doctor determine the best way to treat it.

Compared to the 6-minute walk test, the ISWT is generally more intense, so it allows you to see how your oxygen saturation levels respond to heavier amounts of exercise. It also gives you a wider range of data points to analyze, since it measures your oxygen levels at regular intervals from rest all the way up to your maximum pace.

Interpreting Your Breathlessness Scores

For some, the change of seasons is not always a positive thing. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition that affects about 5 percent of U.S. adults each year and it’s associated with depressive episodes that correlate with the change of seasons.

While seasonal affective disorder isn’t exactly a household name, it can have potentially serious side-effects for anyone who experiences it. SAD isn’t simply a change of mood, it’s actually a type of major depressive disorder (MDD). What this means is that in order to be diagnosed with SAD, a patient needs to exhibit similar symptoms to major depression. This includes symptoms such as feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, low energy, and loss of interest.

Another important thing to note is that people who are already diagnosed with a chronic illness such as COPD are at a higher risk of experiencing SAD, and it may have an effect on how you manage SAD as well. In this post, we’re going to discuss everything you need to know about treating, coping with, and preventing seasonal affective disorder if you have COPD or another debilitating lung condition. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section or consult your doctor.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

SAD is a mental health condition that’s characterized by depressive episodes that change with the seasons. Most often, the symptoms increase in the fall and winter and decrease in the spring and the summer. This is because the reduced sunlight associated with fall and winter causes disruptions in your body’s natural circadian rhythm which can lead to feelings of depression. In rare instances, however, someone may experience SAD during the spring or summer months.

Seasonal affective disorder can be a debilitating condition. It’s not uncommon for someone to experience SAD and be unaware that their depressive episodes are linked to the seasons or they may believe that everyone experiences depression in the fall or winter. While it is true that the change of seasons affects us all in some way, it’s uncommon for it to lead to disruptions in your daily life such as chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or feelings of hopelessness.

According to a study done by the University of Copenhagen, people who contract SAD show differences in the way that they regulate the neurotransmitter serotonin which has a significant effect on your mood. The researchers studied both SAD patients and healthy patients and found that the former had higher levels of the serotonin transporter (SERT) which leads to a greater removal of serotonin in the body. The SAD patients had an average of 5% higher SERT levels in the winter months as opposed to healthy patients who showed no significant change.

Unfortunately, mental health conditions like SAD are a little more complicated than an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. There are millions of chemical reactions that occur in the brain at any given moment, all of which culminate to create your overall feelings and mood. So, it’s unlikely that increasing serotonin levels will be the end all be all solution. This is why mental health disorders are often treated with a variety of methods like medication, exercise, therapy sessions, and more.

While rare, summer and spring SAD is still very much a reality. However, while it’s normally caused by shorter days, colder weather, and less sunlight in the winter, summer SAD is caused by the opposite — longer and hotter days. Another factor involved is summer and spring allergies which can last many months and keep people relegated to their homes.

One common occurrence in people with summer SAD is that they get too little sleep. Longer daylight hours and shorter nights means that many people are getting less sleep than they should be getting. To mediate this, your doctor may offer a revised sleep schedule, or he/she may prescribe you melatonin supplements that make up for your body’s low supply.

What Are the Symptoms of SAD?

SAD symptoms may vary from person to person and they can range in severity from mild to severe. Possibly the most common symptom of SAD is feeling unmotivated, demoralized, or hopeless. We’ve all had days where we feel like we don’t have the strength to do something productive, but for someone with SAD, these feelings may persist over the course of several weeks or months.

Another symptom of SAD is difficulty sleeping and/or feelings of restlessness or fatigue after waking up in the morning. A lot of the time, sleeping difficulties are attributed to high anxiety or chronic pain which tend to be common in COPD patients. Sleeping problems should be dealt with sooner rather than later because long-term sleep deprivation can lead to mood changes, a weakened immune system, an increased risk of heart disease, and many other negative health effects. 

One final symptom of seasonal affective disorder is feeling uninterested in things that you used to enjoy. Everyone has hobbies that they like to pursue. These hobbies help us feel complete and keep our minds off of anything negative that we might be experiencing in our lives. But when you have SAD, these hobbies can feel more like a chore rather than a relaxing activity.

What Are the Causes of SAD?

As aforementioned, the causes of SAD are complex and it’s still heavily debated as to what the primary causal factor of SAD is. Thus far, however, scientific research has led us to believe that there are three factors that contribute to the onset of seasonal affective disorder: poor regulation of the neurotransmitter serotonin, an overproduction of melatonin, and low vitamin D production.

What Are the Risk Factors of SAD?

Since one of the major causes of SAD is a lack of sunlight, it goes without saying that where you live has a significant impact on whether or not you will contract it. Since the amount of winter daylight decreases the farther you are away from the equator, you’re more likely to experience SAD if you’re at least 30 degrees north or south. 

Genetics also plays a role in seasonal affective disorder. If you have parents who have a history of depression or high anxiety, you might be at higher risk of experiencing SAD or other major depressive disorders. 

How Are SAD and COPD Connected?

COPD and SAD are not directly related. In other words, just because you have a chronic respiratory disease does not necessarily mean you will develop SAD or any type of depression for that matter. However, due to the symptoms associated with these conditions, it can be very difficult to cope with both COPD and SAD at the same time. It can also be difficult for doctors to diagnose SAD in COPD patients because these two conditions share many symptoms.

COPD is a chronic and debilitating lung condition that’s primarily caused by cigarette smoking. It’s characterized by trouble breathing, fatigue, and increased mucus production. COPD is a progressive disease meaning it gets worse over time and patients may experience “exacerbations,” a period of time where COPD symptoms suddenly get worse. A carefully planned treatment regime is essential for managing COPD.

According to the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, depression is common among COPD patients. Around 40% have either clinical depression or severe depressive symptoms. In addition to this, many people with COPD experience anxiety which tends to get worse as respiratory symptoms progress. 

How Should a COPD Patient Cope with SAD?

The best way for COPD patients to cope with SAD is to manage the symptoms of COPD. More often than not, COPD patients develop a sense of doom and gloom when they realize that their symptoms are getting worse instead of better. Rather than letting these thoughts take control, take some time to evaluate how you’re approaching your disease, and be open about what you’re experiencing with close friends and family members.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is paramount when it comes to managing respiratory symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and chest pain. Not only does pulmonary rehabilitation strengthen the lungs, but it improves the strength of every muscle in the body. And since muscle strength is a key factor in preventing CO2 retention, it also plays an important role in preventing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

One of the reasons that it’s so difficult to maintain a pulmonary rehabilitation routine throughout the fall and winter is because the weather can prevent us from getting outside. Most people prefer exercising outdoors, but if you have COPD, cold weather can exacerbate your symptoms. So if this sounds like you, be sure to plan your pulmonary rehabilitation activities indoors. A study from Harvard found that just 35 minutes of low- or high-intensity exercise is linked to reduced odds of depression.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Many people are surprised to find that their diet has an immense impact on the health of their lungs, and by proxy, their mental health as well. While a “healthy diet” looks different for just about everyone, your doctor has likely set you up with a dietary regime that’s high in fiber, healthy fats, and protein. This is pretty standard for COPD patients, but it may vary slightly depending on your situation.

One way to maintain a healthy diet in the fall and winter is to have your groceries delivered. Rather than having to go out in the cold and search the store for everything you need, you can take your time and select food online that meets your dietary needs. This is also a great way to avoid the temptation of buying food that doesn’t meet your COPD treatment plan.

Be Open With Your Doctor

It’s not always easy being open and honest about the things you’re feeling or experiencing. But when it comes to something as serious and debilitating as seasonal depression it’s important to find some way to let others know about it. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking directly to a health professional, you can talk to a friend or loved one who can contact them for you. 

One of the most effective ways of treating seasonal affective disorder is through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a type of psychotherapy that aims to identify and correct habits that can lead to a negative state of mind. CBT has a wide range of uses including addiction prevention, stress reduction, depression prevention, and learning techniques to cope with chronic conditions like COPD.

Another treatment your doctor may prescribe to treat SAD is light therapy, also known as phototherapy. Just like this sounds, it’s a type of therapy that exposes you to light that’s designed to mimic sunlight. Typically, you will be told to use this device right when you get up or periodically throughout the day. You should notice your mood improving over the course of several days or weeks.

Last but certainly not least, you may be prescribed medication for SAD. Antidepressants like bupropion are designed to prevent depressive episodes in people with a variety of different conditions. Keep in mind that there are always side-effects with antidepressants and they may interact poorly with your respiratory symptoms, so be sure to use them only as your doctor prescribes.

Take on More Responsibilities

One of the worst symptoms of depressive disorders like SAD is that they make it feel like it’s impossible to take on the challenges of the day. Whether we’re faced with a difficult family matter or something pertaining to our disease, it’s hard to know where to begin if you can’t find the motivation to do it.

Not everyone with COPD is an ex-smoker or smoker,. There are a lot of other factors that cause COPD. While, It is no secret that cigarettes cause a lot of respiratory issues and other bodily harm, and smoking does lead to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) many of the 16 million Americans who have been diagnosed with COPD have never smoked in their lifetime.

So what else causes COPD and how can we continue to treat this chronic disease for smoker and nonsmokers effectively?

In this blog we cover:

• What COPD is
• How COPD and smoking is related
• How nonsmokers develop COPD

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly referred to as COPD, is a group of progressive lung diseases.

The most common of these diseases are emphysema which slowly destroys air sacs in your lungs, and interferes with outward air flow and chronic bronchitis which causes inflammation and narrows the bronchial tubes allowing excess mucus to build up. Many people with COPD have both of these conditions, and when it is severe enough, they require supplemental oxygen therapy. To treat cases of COPD, people will opt to use portable oxygen concentrators. 

It’s estimated that about 30 million people in the United States have COPD, while an estimated 14 million are unaware that they have it. If your COPD goes untreated, it can lead to a faster progression of disease, heart problems, and worsening respiratory infections. 

COPD and Smoking 

Smoking is one of the main causes of COPD, however it is not the only reason people develop this disease. 

In today’s day and age, smoking has a negative connotation, and it is widely known that smoking is bad for your health and the ones around you. This scientific fact has only come to light and into popularity in relatively recent years. 

There was a time when many of us were alive where smoking was a normal everyday thing that most adults participated in, and the negative effects smoking presented to the smoker and those subjected to secondhand smoke were less known and much less talked about.

Now there are a lot more alternatives for smoking for people who want to quit, there are scientific studies proving the harmful aspects smoking has on your body, there are advertisements and movements to help inform people, and smoking is not allowed indoors and even in private outdoor spaces in most areas. 

The overall language surrounding smoking has changed dramatically, and a lot of the time there is little sympathy for smokers. 

While smoking is a very harsh addiction, there are a lot of tools including therapy that can help you quit. It is much easier said than done, and we do have a few resources on our website that can help smokers nick the habit: 

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.

In this day and age, it’s harder than ever to navigate America’s convoluted health care system. At times it can feel like it’s impossible to find an answer to the simplest of questions. And other times, it can even feel like our own doctors, caretakers, or medical equipment providers are working against us instead of for us. What’s more, as we age, we face higher health insurance costs with fewer and fewer options for saving money along the way.

It’s not all grim, though! If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), or any other respiratory illness that requires you to undergo oxygen therapy, there are many resources out there to help you answer your most burning questions. Most notably, our respiratory specialists here at LPT Medical are here to answer all your questions concerning oxygen delivery equipment and oxygen therapy in general.

Feel free to get in touch with us either by phone or email and ask us anything you need. Remember, there is no “silly” or “bad” question when it comes to your health. Chances are if you’re wondering something, there are other people in your situation who are wondering the same thing. In the meantime, continue reading to discover the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about oxygen concentrators.

What is an Oxygen Concentrator?

An oxygen concentrator is a type of oxygen administration device used to treat a variety of respiratory ailments including COPD and cystic fibrosis. Oxygen concentrators are similar to oxygen tanks in that they deliver medical grade oxygen which is inspired via a nasal cannula or oxygen mask. Concentrators were introduced around the 1970s and portable versions became more widely available in the early 2000s.

Mental illness represents a massive health burden in the United States. According to Hopkins Medicine, about 26% of people over the age of 18 live with a mental illness. However, this doesn’t even factor in that many people suffer from more than one mental health disorder. For example, individuals with a high amount of anxiety are more likely to experience bouts of depression as a result. This can lead to problems that are significantly more difficult to solve than a simple “change of mindset.”

When it comes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other progressive diseases, the prevalence of mental health issues is high. A study published in the European Respiratory Journal found that COPD patients were 85% more likely to experience anxiety disorders when compared to healthy control subjects. And it goes without saying that the more COPD progresses, the more likely it is to contribute to mental health problems as well.

In this blog post, we’re going to focus on one method of improving your mental health: living in the moment. While this subject may seem like a cliché in some ways, there’s actually a lot of clinical evidence to suggest that it can significantly improve your mental well-being even if it doesn’t outright solve them. Read on to learn more and be sure to bookmark this page or share it with anyone who may benefit from it.

What Does it Mean to “Live in the Moment”?

Simply put, living in the moment means focusing on the here and now. It means being fully present and involved in what you’re doing at the current point in time rather than focusing on the past or the future. This is an important concept to grasp if you want to live a healthy and fulfilling life. People who are able to train themselves to live in the moment find that they are significantly more productive, they build better and more meaningful relationships, and they’re less likely to encounter mental or emotional roadblocks.

Living in the moment, however, doesn’t necessarily mean completely tuning out the future or forgetting about the past. If you want to make meaningful decisions now, you need to learn from the past and value your future. But what you shouldn’t do is be overanalytical and dwell on thoughts or feelings, because this will only lead to more anxiety and more difficulty facing the challenges that are currently relevant in your life.

Why Do COPD Patients Struggle With Living in the Moment?

Receiving a diagnosis for any chronic illness can be a difficult thing to process and accept. Regardless of how much of an optimist someone is, everyone will experience some degree of distress after experiencing an event like this. Unfortunately, receiving a diagnosis for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be even more difficult. While COPD is one of the most preventable chronic illnesses in the world, there are risk factors that are unavoidable such as air pollution and genetic factors like alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Despite these facts, many COPD patients still fall into the mindset that their illness could have been prevented if they had only made different lifestyle choices. Once this happens, it becomes very difficult to live in the moment without feeling guilty about the past or worried about the future. And while COPD can’t be cured, it’s important to remember that it’s a very treatable disease meaning that if you’re careful about your lifestyle choices in the here and now, you can significantly slow the progression of your disease.

Keep Your Mind Busy

One of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to stop stressing about the past or the future is to keep your mind busy. Probably one of the most common and effective ways of doing this is by reading. Whether you’ve been a life-long reader or you’ve never picked up a book in your life, this is the perfect way to train your mind to focus on the present. The subject of the book doesn’t matter too much, just as long as it’s a topic that interests you and doesn’t cause you to dwell on negative or unproductive thoughts.

If reading isn’t really your thing, you might consider giving games or puzzles a try. Many newspapers and magazines have crossword puzzles or sudoku games in them or you can find them online and simply print them off. If you have a smartphone, you can download word games from the app store and many of them are free of charge. However, be aware that spending too much time with electronics on a daily basis can increase your stress levels, so it’s important to take a break from time to time.

Last but certainly not least, you can keep your mind busy by completing simple tasks around the home like folding laundry, organizing, or doing dishes. According to the BBC, not only does the act of cleaning or doing menial tasks improve your mindset and provide you with a bit of exercise, but you’ll also boost your mood when you can look back on the work you’ve accomplished, no matter how small of a task it was.

Create a List of Things That are Important to You

The second strategy you can try to improve your mindset is to create a list of five or ten things that are important to you. This list can include anything like family, friends, or even short-term or life-long goals that you want to keep top of mind. But the important thing to remember is that you actually need to create a physical list that’s either written or typed up. This is a crucial detail because studies have shown that doing so will increase the likelihood that you will remember it. If you simply think about these things, they will likely get drowned out by any negative thoughts you’re experiencing.

If you want to take this one step further, you can even make copies of your list and post them around your home as a reminder. Put them in places that you frequent throughout the day such as your bedroom, kitchen, and living room. This way, no matter if your mind starts to wander, you will always be reminded of the things that are important to you and the things that you’re working towards. 

Keep Track of Your Progress

Another thing you can do is keep track of your COPD treatment progress. Most people with COPD understand the importance of supplemental oxygen therapy, a well-balanced diet, and pulmonary rehabilitation, but not all people keep records of their progress. This is unfortunate because it’s much easier to change your lifestyle for the better if you have tangible evidence of its benefits. Otherwise, you might be left to question whether it’s helping or not and that your energy is better spent elsewhere. 

There are two different factors to consider when it comes to the effectiveness of your lungs: lung function and lung capacity. Lung function is how effective the body is at using the oxygen it receives. Lung capacity is the ability of the lungs to take in air and remove carbon dioxide-rich air quickly. Lung capacity is something that can be improved whereas lung function cannot. Lung capacity can be tested at home using a device called a spirometer. Everyone should have one of these so that they can keep track of their progress.

Another way to keep track of your progress is to make a note of how you’re feeling throughout the day. Be sure to write the date next to your note so that you can look back on it over time to see what was working and wasn’t working. Over time, you’ll start to have a better idea of what kinds of things improve your lung health and what things don’t. It could also significantly boost your mental health because you’ll start to see that your lifestyle choices have a huge impact on how good or bad you feel on any given day. 

Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psycho-social intervention that’s designed to correct negative thoughts and behaviors. This type of treatment for mental illness became popular in the 1990s and it’s been effective for many people facing a wide range of issues. It’s often recommended for people with COPD who find themselves in a negative mental feedback loop and for people who are struggling to make the changes they need to treat their disease. 

CBT sessions usually begin with identifying the problem. It’s important to be able to define exactly what the issue is if you want to be able to solve it. Once that’s done, your therapist will likely change the focus to your thoughts and feelings towards that problem. This is where most people begin to realize that they have an inaccurate or misguided vision of the problem they’re facing. Finally, your therapist will take steps to reverse negative or inaccurate thinking and replace them with ones that are constructive. 

Practice Meditation

Meditation is a technique that’s been used for thousands of years. And while it’s largely used in a religious or spiritual context, it can also be a helpful tool for improving your mental health and peace of mind. There are many different types of meditation but by far the most popular one among COPD patients is Tai Chi. This is often referred to as “moving meditation” because rather than sitting on the ground motionless, you’ll be up on your feet moving. It’s popular among COPD patients because it enables them to get exercise while they work on their mental health.

One of the greatest parts about Tai Chi is that you don’t need an instructor to do it. You can either practice it in the safety of your own home or you can practice it in a park or some other quiet and safe area. As for learning how it’s done, we’ve put together a great guide to teach you the ins and outs as well as the many benefits it offers. Be sure to check it out here.

Quit Smoking if You Haven’t Already

Smoking cessation is not only the most important thing you can do for your physical health and to treat COPD, but it’s also one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 44% of all cigarettes are smoked by people with a mental illness or substance abuse disorder. This is because there is a sort of circular loop that smoking causes.

Essentially, whenever you inhale cigarette smoke it triggers the release of dopamine in the brain. This is the main chemical responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. This isn’t a temporary effect, however. Over time, smoking completely rewires the brain to make “smoking” the new normal. In other words, you need to be smoking cigarettes throughout the day just to feel normal. If you don’t, you’ll begin to feel intense withdrawals and cravings which can lead to a lot of emotional distress.

The effects of cigarettes on your physical health are even grimmer and can also impact your ability to live in the moment. Smoking inflames your lungs causing difficulty breathing, chronic cough, and impairs your immune system meaning you’re more likely to get sick. The result is more time spent at home, bedridden, and unable to break free from a sedentary lifestyle. Many COPD patients have reported that continuing to smoke with their disease has hampered their ability to pursue their passions and spend time with loved ones, all of which takes you away from living in the moment.

Many COPD patients fall into the mindset that the damage has already been done and that smoking cessation won’t improve their condition any, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Many people with COPD and chronic respiratory disease, in general, have been able to live an active lifestyle regardless of what stage of the disease they’re in. While the underlying lung damage will still be there, improving your diet, exercise routine, and dropping the cigarettes will undeniably improve your situation.

Aside from halting lung damage, smoking cessation will lead to immediate improvements in your body’s circulation. This term refers to your body’s ability to circulate blood throughout the body to different organs and tissues. Good circulation plays a very important role in your systemic health by preventing illnesses like heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and even eases the burden on your lungs and heart.