Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease characterized by obstructed airflow and breathing difficulties. Living with the condition can be quite challenging making even the simplest activities difficult to perform as COPD patients deal with chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for COPD although many treatment options can help in managing the condition. But, that’s not all! Indeed, numerous lifestyle changes and habits could also help you relieve symptoms and help you get control over your breath, like gentle breathing exercises. What’s more, you can also control your symptoms by making your home COPD-friendly and thus ease your everyday life. Here’s what you could do:
- Use a Shower Chair in the Bathroom
To begin with, as we already said, sometimes even the simplest tasks seem difficult to complete for people with COPD. One such activity is taking a shower which takes energy to stand, bathe, and keep arms above the head to wash your hair. So, to make the process easier, you could use a shower chair and prevent exacerbation of the condition.
- Keep Your Bathroom Well-Ventilated
Next, if you have COPD, you surely know that steam and increased humidity levels only make your symptoms worse and trigger coughing and shortness of breath. That said, to avoid exacerbation of the symptoms, ensure your bathroom is well-ventilated to reduce humidity. If possible, keep your bathroom door and window open while taking a shower or a bath, and use an exhaust fan.
- Ban Smoking in Your Home
Additionally, one of the main causes and triggers of COPD is smoking, both first and secondhand cigarette smoke exposure. Therefore, one of the key things to do regarding your home is to forbid smoking inside. By doing so, i.e., making your home smoke-free, you will significantly reduce the risk of flare-ups and exacerbations.
- Install Hard Floors Throughout Your Home
Even though this may come as a surprise, installing hard floors throughout your home is extremely beneficial if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The reason for this is that hardwood floors are quite easy to clean, as opposed to carpets, making your home free from pollutants like dust, pet danger, and other allergens, which just worsen your symptoms.
- Stop Using Harsh Chemicals and Products
Furthermore, besides common allergens and pollutants, the use of harsh chemicals for cleaning indoors can also result in flare-ups and worsen COPD symptoms. With that in mind, ensure you use natural and non-toxic cleaning products in your home. Similarly, wisely choose your personal hygiene products, as well as air fresheners and scented candles.
- Get Your AC and Air Ducts Inspected
Last but not least, to ensure you relieve your breathing difficulties and improve the quality of the air in your home, make sure your air conditioning and ductwork are inspected regularly. As you know, mold and mildew are also some of the most common COPD symptom triggers, and by taking home maintenance seriously and having such inspections done you will ensure the air in your home is cleaner and that your home is a breathable environment.
As a bonus tip, get yourself an air purifier that will eliminate allergens and other pollutants and irritants from the air. And, don’t hesitate to invest in a high-quality filtration with a HEPA filter.