Staying active when you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a lot of benefits for your COPD, including:

  • Makes it easier to move and do the activities you need to do as part of daily life
  • Makes it easier to breathe
  • Helps you sleep better so you feel less tired
  • Decreases the chances that you’ll have to go to the hospital
  • Increases the chance that you’ll live longer

 

It also has a lot of benefits for your overall health, like:

  • Builds stronger muscles and bones
  • Reducing the risk of many health conditions, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers
  • Makes your immune system stronger
  • Helps manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
  • Helps manage chronic pain like from arthritis
  • Improves your mental health

 

When you have COPD, it can feel harder to breathe. It’s natural to become less active because of that. But being inactive can make breathing even more difficult and makes you muscles weaker, making it harder to do your daily activities.

Studies have shown that people with COPD who were physically active were able to do more activity over time and had less trouble breathing. Physical activity can also improve your sleep so you feel less tired during the day.  The benefits don’t stop there. Being physically active can help improve your overall health, lower your chances of having to go to the hospital, and help you living longer.

Any amount of physical activity is better than none. Even small amounts can help. You don’t need to go to the gym or do a bunch of hard exercise – things like walking, stretching, or even everyday activities like chores can make a real difference.

Talk to your doctor about how you can get moving if you have COPD. Some helpful resources include home exercises, community programs, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Remember, even light activity done regularly can improve your health.

Any amount of physical activity is great to keep your breathing and health in tip-top shape!