4 Types of exercise for proper and safe sleep

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that attacks the lungs and results in damage to lung tissue. This disease, which is generally caused by smoking, usually makes people who suffer from it experience difficulty in breathing and easily fatigue. These two reasons make exercise for COPD considered impossible. In fact, the right type of exercise can help people with COPD to achieve a healthy lifestyle. No need for complicated sports, even understanding the basics is enough for you. Here's the full review.

What exercises are suitable for people with COPD?

Adopting a healthy lifestyle for COPD, including maintaining a diet and exercise, is the most important factor in preventing COPD from recurring, getting worse, or even spreading.

The following exercises for COPD can help improve your quality of life.

1. Breathing exercises

The main problem in people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is breathing. That's why doing breathing exercises is important. By doing breathing exercises, your main respiratory muscle, the diaphragm, will become stronger.

You can do breathing exercises in an easy way and you don't need any tools. You can do it yourself at home. To practice this one exercise for COPD, you can start by lying down with your knees bent. You can also sit on a fairly low chair.

Here are the steps for doing breathing exercises:

1. Lie down with your knees bent or sit on a low enough chair
2. Place one hand on your chest and the other under your ribs
3. Inhale slowly through your nose until your stomach moves and moves one hand
4. After inhaling, shape your lips like a person whistling to exhale slowly
5. Exhale from your mouth
6. Tighten your stomach as you exhale
7. Make sure that the hand that you are resting on your chest doesn't move

You can do this for 5-10 minutes three to four times a day. When you do it regularly, you will quickly get used to this way of breathing.

2. Tai Chi

This exercise for COPD is a sport from ancient China which consists of gentle and flowing movements. Looking at the type of movement, tai chi is the best type of exercise for COPD.

Not only for COPD, this exercise is also known to be good for those who have heart disease. This one sport also helps tone muscles.

Stress and anxiety are among the possible effects of COPD sufferers. This disease is a deadly disease, it is natural for people with COPD to feel fear. Besides being good for exercising the lungs, practicing tai chi is useful for preventing depression. Practicing tai chi can reduce stress and relax you.

Breathe slowly during exercise. Inhale through your nose with your mouth closed. Doing so can warm and filter the air. Exhale through your mouth twice as long as when you inhale. Do not pant or gasp for breath as this will remove all of the air in your lungs.

If your breathing becomes fast or shallow, stop and rest for a moment. Rest your body first. Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through pursed lips.

3. On foot

Even though you have COPD, that doesn't mean there aren't any types of exercise you can do to keep your body in shape. Walking is the most appropriate exercise for COPD, especially if you are just starting an exercise program.

Besides being easy, you can do this type of sport anywhere. Can be treadmill , it could be around your house, or even at the mall.

We recommend that you do not do it directly over a long period of time or over a long distance. Gradually increase the distance and intensity of your training time to avoid the risk of severe fatigue. You can add 30 seconds or 9 meters each day.

There is no need to rush, walking slowly and slowly also still has a good impact on your body. If you have just wanted to start an exercise program again after a long time, it's a good idea to consult your doctor first to get exercise recommendations for the right COPD.

4. Stretch

Before entering the main sport "menu", it's a good idea to do some light stretches before exercising, counting warm-ups. However, don't forget to also stretch in the cool-down stage because this is no less important.

Quoted from the American Lung Society, one of the stretching movements you can do before and after exercise is to place your hands on the wall at shoulder level as if you want to push the wall.

Another stretch you can also do is by placing your right leg in front, and slowly bending your knee until you feel a pull on the thigh muscles.

Hold this motion for 10-30 seconds and do the same for the other leg. Repeat this movement three to five times on each leg before and after the exercise.

Exercise for COPD can help the patient's body get oxygen and make better use of it. Physical activity can also improve your overall quality of life by helping you maintain your weight, gain more energy, and feel stronger. By doing this regularly, it is hoped that the worsening of COPD conditions can be controlled and avoided.

What can I do to breathe more easily during exercise?

When you have COPD and want to exercise, remember to breathe slowly. Inhale through your nose to warm and humidify the air. Exhale twice as long through your pursed mouth. Shortness of breath during exercise means your body needs more oxygen. You can return oxygen to your system by slowing down your breathing.

You can keep the air you breathe moist and clean by using humidifier or water filter . To help lower your breathing rate while exercising, try to exhale twice as long as you inhale. If you inhale for two seconds, exhale for four seconds.

Don't shower immediately after exercising. Avoid taking hot or very cold showers, or saunas, after exercising. It can worsen COPD symptoms by temporarily swelling or narrowing and hardening of the lung tissue.

If you don't know how to exercise properly or overdo it, it can be dangerous for your lungs. So, make sure you know how to exercise properly before you start. Consult a doctor if you are unsure.