When the going gets tough, I challenge myself

March is a difficult month for me. I can relate to Bill Withers’ song “Ain’t No Sunshine.” The bleak winter months in southern West Virginia get me a little (or a lot) down. Those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) struggle daily to “Keep on the Sunny Side.”

One of the reasons March is difficult is because it’s my birthday month, as well as my mother’s and my son’s. Of the three, I’m the only one still alive. My grief feels extra heavy around birthdays and anniversaries.

I started this column with a Bill Withers song for a reason: He died on my birthday in 2020. His death deeply saddened me, because I admired him a lot. He was a local hero who returned for class reunions and, as one of his albums said, he was “Still Bill.”

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Tools to help me survive hard months

When I’m feeling down, I like to challenge myself with certain activities that provide an incentive to both exercise and get enough rest. The first challenge I did this month was the 28-day chair yoga challenge. There are many chair yoga programs out there, and I have no idea which one is best, so I chose one that posed a challenge. The course is offered via an app, so it’s easy to do anywhere.

I like to do yoga, because I find it to be an appropriate activity for us COPD patients. Yoga promotes diaphragmatic breathing and movement. It can help improve balance, flexibility, and strength and is effective as pulmonary rehabilitation.

I’m not new to yoga, so I alter the plan a little and do standard yoga poses when I can’t quite get the hang of the action on my phone. I practice it in the morning because it motivates me to get up and start the day.

Last evening, I signed up for another challenge: getting better sleep, as sleep has been evading me lately.

We know ourselves better than anyone else, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we can devise a plan to manage our conditions. Taking on challenges helps me get through difficult times, but I still need professional help this time of the year to be at my best.

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.