7 Tips for Aging Healthy with COPD

Eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and managing your stress and sleep habits can all help you age healthy with COPD.

“Aging healthy” — sometimes called “aging gracefully” — is a broad term with various meanings. Headlines and beauty products might use the term to discuss ways to cover up gray hair, wrinkles, and other normal, natural signs of aging.

If they serve you, there’s nothing wrong with looking for these products or tips. But aging healthy can also be taken more literally — to age in a way that has you feeling your best on the inside so you can spend time with the people you love doing activities you enjoy.

With COPD, we know that the condition speeds up lung aging. While you can’t control every part of your condition, there are ways to manage it and lower some risks.

A (welcome) side effect? Controlling what you can as you age with COPD might leave you feeling empowered.

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1. Quit smoking (if you do)

One of the best things you can do after a COPD diagnosis is kick the habit. Research from 2023 describes quitting smoking as the best way to slow the progression of COPD to more advanced stages.

In the study, people who quit smoking within 2 years of a COPD diagnosis had a reduced risk of death from any cause or heart disease-related death than those who kept smoking.

Research from 2018 also suggests that people with COPD have a higher risk for heart disease and are more likely to be hospitalized (and have a longer stay).

Quitting smoking is easy to recommend, but it can be hard to do. The CDC lists numerous resources, including hotlines in multiple languages, guides to creating a quit plan, and state-by-state services.

These tips might help you get started:

• adjust your medication, such as by increasing the dose of a nicotine patch
• distract yourself, like by walking a pet, playing with young family members, or volunteering
• tell people you’re quitting — they may support you

Want some added motivation? The CDC suggests your risk of heart disease can be cut in half when you hit 3–6 years of not smoking. The same can be said for lung cancer risk by the 10 to 15-year mark.

2. Eat nutritious foods

What you eat does more than fill your stomach, it can affect your breathing. How? The body changes food to energy using a process called metabolism.

During this process, oxygen and food combine and turn into energy and carbon dioxide. We wind up exhaling this carbon dioxide because it’s waste.

However, the American Lung Association points out that breathing demands more energy for people living with COPD. You may need more calories to breathe than someone without the condition — potentially 10 times more. 

Research from 2019 found that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates (think bread and rice) could increase COPD risks. However, plant-based diets like the Mediterranean diet could help people manage the condition.

The Mediterranean diet isn’t so much of an official and rigid “diet” but rather a meal plan that prioritizes:

• fresh fruits
• vegetables
• whole grains
• plant oils (like olive oil)
• fish

It suggests consuming some foods in moderation, like:

• processed, refined, and high saturated fatty foods
• sugar-sweetened foods and beverages
• red meat

3. Exercise regularly

It’s still possible to exercise with COPD. A 2022 research review found that lower physical activity levels were the strongest factor for death in COPD.

The American Lung Association suggests that the benefits of exercise for people with COPD include improvements in:

• how the body uses oxygen
• energy
• breathing
• mental health
• sleep
• self-esteem
• cardiovascular fitness
• muscle strength

For this reason, physical activity is typically part of pulmonary rehab, including for people with COPD.

Finding an activity you enjoy is important for anyone beginning an exercise routine. That’s because you’re more likely to stick to it if you do. Some forms of exercise are:

• brisk walking
• cycling
• jogging
• swimming
• gentle stretching or yoga
• resistance training using weights, bands, or even your own body

If you’re not going to pulmonary rehab, your doctor or a personal trainer can help you develop an exercise plan that works for you.

4. Manage stress, anxiety, and depression

Life can be stressful, particularly when managing a chronic condition like COPD. But chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can worsen the condition and trigger flare-ups, resulting in coughing fits and breathing troubles.

So coping with your mental health might also help you physically. If you’re feeling anxious, depressed, or stressed, help is available.

One 2023 study found that people with COPD and depression might benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an approach that helps people recognize negative behaviors and thoughts and develop coping strategies.

The researchers also suggest that people with severe or persistent depression might be treated with medication. Other tips for improving your mental health are:

• identifying and coping with stressors, like family issues or financial concerns
• doing breathing techniques
• practicing yoga
• getting a good night’s sleep

5. Get a good night’s sleep

You’ve probably heard sleep is restorative. It’s great for anyone, but it’s essential to help manage your COPD.

A 2022 study suggests that poor sleep could be an even better predictor of COPD flare-ups than smoking.

Yet, sleep can be especially challenging when you have COPD. If you struggle to get some shut-eye, you’re not alone. A study from 2015 found that people living with COPD have a greater risk for sleep apnea and insomnia.

Not getting enough sleep can also increase stress — and make it even more challenging to get enough Zzz’s. Some steps to improve sleep include:

• getting evaluated for sleep apnea
• using tools and devices, such as supplemental oxygen or a CPAP to manage sleep apnea
• practicing breathing exercises, such as pursed lip and diaphragmatic breathing
• managing mental health conditions through therapy and medication as needed
• reducing screen time before bed

6. Limit alcohol (or stop drinking altogether)

While there isn’t evidence that alcohol causes COPD, some data has shown that it can make lung issues worse. A study in 2021 looked into how chronic alcohol misuse affects every cell in the lung and how it affects someone’s risk for COVID-19.

Like smoking, reducing or eliminating alcohol can be tricky, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Things to consider if you want to drink less or stop include:

• identifying triggers — what makes you drink
• seeking support, such as through a group like Alcoholics Anonymous or a therapist specializing in addiction
• evaluating the health risks versus benefits, especially for the lungs
• identifying your “why” or the reasons you want to quit or limit drinking

7. Keep up with doctor’s visits

Continue to see your primary care doctor and specialists for COPD, as well as healthcare professionals for any other underlying conditions you have.

Be sure to flag symptoms you’re experiencing with your doctor, such as difficulty breathing, sleeping, and eating. Your healthcare team can do a work up to check for additional conditions and provide personalized tips to help you manage.

Takeaway

COPD may mean speedy lung aging, but you can still take steps to enjoy life as you get older.

Quitting smoking is one of the most significant ways you can slow the effects of COPD and improve your quality of life. You don’t have to go it alone, though. There are so many national and local resources available.

Other lifestyle habits, like exercising, eating a plant-based diet, prioritizing sleep and mental health, and reducing (or quitting) alcohol use can also help.

Continue to keep up with regular doctor’s visits. COPD puts you at risk for other chronic conditions like heart disease, but regular visits to specialists and primary care doctors can help you catch and manage conditions if they come up.

These appointments also give you a chance to ask questions about your condition and ways to improve your physical and mental health — don’t be afraid to ask.