How my evening routine helps me cope with COPD

For those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), routines become an essential tool for coping with the changes that our disease brings. The focus is often on morning routines, but my evening routine has become increasingly important over time.

My evening routine starts at 6 p.m., when I do aerobic exercise — walking in the local state park — in warmer weather. Now that it’s cold outside, I rely on my stationary bike to complete my 30 daily minutes of aerobic activity. Exercising also ensures that I meet the daily 5,000-step minimum that my insurance company requires to award me $5 per month.

I mostly adhere to this 6 p.m. time, but sometimes I have meetings that require me to start a few minutes late. On those infrequent occasions, I begin my exercise as soon as the meetings end. Exercise cannot cure COPD, but it can help reverse deconditioning and improve quality of life.

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After my aerobic exercise, I concentrate on powering down to get a good night’s sleep. I may read, watch TV, sew, crochet, or call a friend. At 9 p.m., I take my evening medications. I chose this time because it’s about 12 hours after I’ve taken my morning medications, some of which need to be taken twice a day.

After I take my meds, I do some stretches and other movements that were recommended by my doctor and help with the arthritis in my hips. Once the stretches are complete, I bathe, brush my teeth, and meditate for 10 minutes. A few months ago, I would’ve told you that meditation was some of that touchy-feely health stuff in which I did not participate, but that’s not the case for me now. Free guided meditations have been a great help to me.

My evening bath is worth spending some time on. I add four droppers of eucalyptus essential oil and four of lavender to my bath water. As I sink down and close my eyes, I can feel much of my tension fading away. The aroma of the essential oils diffuses from my bath to my bedroom when I climb into bed.

Routines can help us cope with COPD and get better sleep. If you are having problems sleeping, I recommend talking to your doctor. Perhaps some of the above strategies will work for you, too.

Note: COPD News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of COPD News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.