Tips for Surviving Thanksgiving With COPD
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may not look forward to Thanksgiving like you used to. Holiday stress can be exhausting for anyone, but for someone with COPD, it can be a tremendous struggle. If you have mild to severe COPD, the tips below may help you to get through the holidays without the exacerbations or extreme fatigue that often comes with the territory.
Shop Online for Almost Anything
Shopping online is the best way for a person with COPD to get through the holiday. It is great because you can avoid packed stores as well as all of the illnesses that are often spread among large crowds at this time of year.
If you take any type of steroid, this is very important since you are more susceptible to illnesses. Battling traffic and crowds and standing in long lines can be exhausting, so shopping on the Internet and having groceries, gifts etc. delivered to your home is the best way to prevent fatigue.
Keep Exercising
No one thinks of exercise to help with holiday stress. However, an exercise program may help you to feel more in control, and studies have shown that it reduces general stress. It can help with your holiday stress as well.
Try to find 30 minutes out of your day, every day, to exercise or involve yourself in an activity you enjoy. Walking is the easiest type of exercise and you can do it almost anywhere.
Eat Well
Good nutrition is necessary for your body to perform its many functions efficiently. Eating a well-balanced diet can also help you cope with stress much better. Holiday activities will sap you of your energy, so you need to refuel with good, wholesome food.
Breathing Techniques
When you are busy in the kitchen cooking or traveling to the relatives, you may become short of breath. Practice the COPD breathing techniques you have been told to do by your doctor. This will keep your lungs healthy and able to tolerate the activity you will be doing.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to reduce your heart rate and help you control your breathing. Your blood pressure responds favorably so your body uses the oxygen supplied to it more efficiently. Every person who suffers from COPD should add meditation to their arsenal against respiratory dysfunction.
Meditation can also help with relaxation and the ability to cope with life’s stressors. Yoga and Pilates are also wonderful activities to help with stress reduction.
Share Your Feelings
Talk to your close friends or family about your stress and any other feelings you may be having. Having someone to talk to will help you get things off your chest and relieve some of the stress you may be experiencing. You can visit COPD health forums on various websites on the internet to discuss your feelings as well, especially if you are too short of breath to speak to someone.