People with lung disease tend to experience difficulty breathing. Breathing difficulties often make them feel they can’t engage in physical activities. Over time, patients experience increased shortness of breath every time they exert themselves. Unfortunately, staying inactive for an extended period can cause a significant decline in physical endurance and muscle mass. Physical activity improves cardiovascular function and strengthens respiratory muscles. Although being physical can’t cure the disease, it can leave the patient feeling better physically and mentally.
Experts recommend a regular, moderate exercise routine for people with lung disease. In this article, you’ll find a few gentle activities for people with lung disease. Before starting any exercise routine, speak to your doctor.
Walking
Walking is an excellent choice of gentle activity. People with lung disease can start with walking before proceeding to more intense activities. Best of all, you can do it anywhere: in the park, on a treadmill, or on your way to work. You may decide to start at a slow pace and then increase it after 10 yards. The bottom line is that walking can help improve blood flow and quality of life.
Keep in mind that lung disease isn’t a death sentence but can cause significant damage to the respiratory system and other parts of the body if left unchecked. As you know, the lungs comprise several parts, all of which are susceptible to infection. The trachea (commonly known as the windpipe) is vital for transporting a sufficient amount of air to the bronchi (the airways that send enough oxygen to the lungs). The trachea is also susceptible to picking up viral infections like bronchitis.
There’s also the alveoli (which is where the lungs exchange oxygen with the blood). It comprises a significant proportion of the lung tissue. The organ allows for the free flow of oxygen into the bloodstream and expels carbon dioxide. When viral infections occur, it causes pneumonia, which results in the filling of the air sacs with fluid or pus, which causes breathing difficulties such as emphysema (shortness of breath). Smokers are usually at risk of such issues because directly breathing in cigarette smoke (or secondhand smoke) puts you at risk of emphysema.
Mind-Body Activities
You might want to engage in mind-body exercises. Consider buying jigsaw puzzles to engage your mind. Puzzles can be so much fun and versatile. For instance, chess puzzles help the puzzler exercise their mind. Instead of choosing any random puzzle, go for a crossword puzzle or coins puzzle. Think about incorporating puzzles into your family game nights or family getaway weekends. You and your loved ones will have a blast putting the many pieces together.
Stretching
Stretching exercises can be fun and relaxing. They’re acclaimed for improving flexibility. You can do a bit of dynamic stretching before starting exercise and a bit of static stretching to cool your muscles afterward. Aim to hold a gentle static stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds while inhaling slowly.
Light Aerobic Exercises
Experts recommend low-impact aerobics for people with lung disease. A low-impact aerobic exercise will get the heart pumping and promote the efficient use of oxygen. This form of exercise is excellent for improving heart and lung function. The objective is to reduce the intensity of the exercise, thereby reducing the strain on your heart and lungs.
Some good examples of low-impact aerobics include cycling and swimming; however, you can also do simple routines at home. A person with lung disease should aim to participate in aerobics for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week. Avoid aerobic physical activity if you have chest pain or infection, feel dizzy, or run out of oxygen. More importantly, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including getting enough rest and eating a balanced diet.
