To manage stress with COPD, sometimes I need a mini-vacation

My inner voice went bananas last week. I couldn’t make a simple decision, such as when was the best day to go to the drugstore to get my prescriptions. I am sure that age and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) played a role in my confusion.

I felt like I did once when my lung had collapsed, but I didn’t feel pain, so I didn’t go to the doctor or hospital right away. I tired very easily, got short of breath quite often, and experienced what most people refer to as brain fog. I finally went to my pulmonologist because I was short of breath. He sent me for an X-ray because he detected diminished breath sounds.

The X-ray showed a partial lung collapse, which progressed to a total pneumothorax by the time my doctor called me and told me to report to the hospital. This was the second of three spontaneous pneumothoraces I’ve suffered due to COPD.

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This time, stress was probably the most significant factor in my debilitated state of mind. I’d been concerned about why I hadn’t received the results of an ultrasound to determine what was causing me digestive problems. I couldn’t make up my mind whether I should contact my doctor, the gastroenterologist, the testing center, or do nothing.

Usually, when I’m having trouble making a decision, I sleep on it. The following day, the solution is typically more apparent. Unfortunately, I’d reached a point where I barely slept at night and my afternoon naps lasted too long.

I regularly assess my health with my COPD action plan, and I determined that all my vitals looked great. I was feeling short of breath, but my oxygen saturation was above 90%, which is within range for me. The lack of evidence of a physical problem made me think I might need to contact a mental health professional.

Taking steps to manage my stress

I was mindlessly scrolling online when I came across an advertisement for the TV and movie streaming service Hulu. I recalled my neighbor asking me if I had it. She said that when she was stressed, she binge-watched a series. This got me thinking about stress and the negative impact it can have on those of us with COPD. Feeling stressed may exacerbate our symptoms, including shortness of breath.

So, in an effort to reduce my stress, I decided to try my neighbor’s solution. For three days, I binge-watched a show about a doctor with autism. This is bizarre behavior for me, because I don’t even turn on the TV on some days. I related to many of the characters on “The Good Doctor,” particularly one with dyslexia — a learning disorder I also have.

Not only did I binge-watch TV, but I also didn’t set the alarm to get up or pay attention to when I went to bed. I simply slept when I was tired and got up when I was rested. I didn’t make to-do lists and only consulted my calendar to see if there were any commitments I couldn’t postpone or cancel.

As a result of this mini-vacation, I started sleeping better, and my Fitbit verified my observation. I could remember my dreams, and my rapid-eye-movement sleep increased significantly, as did my deep sleep.

After my mini-vacation, I felt refreshed and could concentrate and make logical decisions without constantly second-guessing myself. I felt full of life and optimistic. I no longer felt short of breath and quit looking at my oxygen saturation multiple times per day.

Controlled breathing techniques such as pursed lip breathing are among many strategies that can help us manage stress, but sometimes a mini-vacation is what we really need.

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.