Night symptoms in COPD
The main symptoms of COPD are chronic and progressive dyspnea, cough and sputum production.
A number of studies have shown that most patients with COPD experience symptoms of the disease throughout the day. At the same time, violations associated with COPD cause the greatest discomfort in the morning, but also bother patients at night.
More than half of patients with COPD experience symptoms day and night. At the same time, patients with any combination of night / morning symptoms are more prone to anxiety and depression. It is also worth noting that the quality of sleep in patients with nocturnal COPD symptoms is significantly worse than in patients without nocturnal symptoms.
Patients with COPD require round-the-clock monitoring of symptoms, as most patients with COPD experience symptoms during the entire 24 hours.
Your health care provider may prescribe medications for you to reduce the frequency of COPD exacerbations. The doctor can combine the drugs of different groups with each other to enhance the therapeutic effect. If you are taking inhaled drugs, it is very important to follow the rules for using the inhaler. If you have questions about inhalation techniques, be sure to ask them to your doctor.
You can do a lot at home to feel better:
Avoid irritating the lungs – smoke, cold or dry air.
Use an air conditioner or air purifier.
Take rest breaks during the day.
Exercise regularly, especially to train your respiratory muscles, to stay in good physical shape and slow down the progression of the disease.
Eat well. It is very important to preserve your strength and well-being. If you are losing weight, ask your doctor about the need to change the diet.
Be healthy!