Contents:
- Medical Video: Prescribed medical treatments for COPD
- 1. Choose a comfortable sleeping position
- 2. Elevate your head to sleep
- 3. Do meditation and deep breathing before going to sleep
- 4. Use extra oxygen
- 5. Consult your doctor about drug choices
- 6. Take 2 hours before bedtime to relax
- Other general tips for better sleep
Medical Video: Prescribed medical treatments for COPD
When you suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), getting enough rest is very important. Of course, even people who don't have it need sleep, but those who suffer from COPD use far more energy sources to spend a day. Therefore, when they are going to sleep, they need to know how to sleep well.
1. Choose a comfortable sleeping position
Because COPD sufferers can feel difficulty breathing while lying down, they often sleep in a sitting position. However, sitting position makes it difficult for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
2. Elevate your head to sleep
Lying flat makes it difficult for you to breathe. So, sleep with your head on 2 or more pillows, insert a health pillow (wedge pillow) under the shoulder or even place the beam under the head of your bed.
3. Do meditation and deep breathing before going to sleep
Lie down or sit quietly, and pull and exhale as deeply as possible for 5 to 15 minutes before going to bed. This can help cleanse the airways slightly from mucus, allowing you to release the stresses and worries of the day and put you in a calm and relaxed condition that is conducive to sleep.
4. Use extra oxygen
If you use extra oxygen all the time, then be sure not to turn off the appliance while sleeping! However, if you only use oxygen "as needed" or do not use it at all and you experience difficulty sleeping, then consult your doctor whether using extra oxygen at bedtime and throughout the night can be beneficial for you.
5. Consult your doctor about drug choices
A free-selling hormone called melatonin is beneficial for some people who experience difficulty sleeping. Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally present in the human body, but sometimes the extra dose of the hormone used at bedtime can help you feel more drowsy.
6. Take 2 hours before bedtime to relax
Try to avoid exercising or drinking caffeinated drinks at this time, because both can interfere with your ability to fall asleep quickly. Also, try not to take a nap.
Other general tips for better sleep
Regardless of your COPD status, here are some tips that can also help you get a good night's sleep.
- Use your bed only for sleep and sex. Avoid watching TV, reading, or just lying awake in bed.
- Get out of bed if you can't fall asleep in 20 minutes. Do something that relaxes you until you feel sleepy enough to sleep.
- Avoid napping so that you will be able to sleep at night.
- Exercise regularly, but not in two hours before going to bed.
- Make sure the condition of your bedroom is calm, dark and cool.
- Don't drink caffeine in five hours before you will sleep.
- Live a regular sleep schedule, go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day.
By knowing general tips for sleeping well for COPD patients, you can arm yourself with a strategy to get a better night's rest. Deep sleep can help your body become stronger and better able to fight the symptoms of COPD.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
