Coping with COPD: Pulmonologist tells how lifestyle changes, movement can help you breathe easier

Discover how simple habits, inhaler use, pulmonary rehab and smart eating can help manage COPD and reduce breathlessness, even for non-smokers. (Image: Pexels)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is a serious, long-term condition. It causes persistent airflow limitation, progressive breathlessness, and can make daily tasks feel more challenging than they used to. However, it a few lifestyle changes can help manage the condition well.

Coping with COPD can cause fear. Dr Bharat Gopal, Senior Director & Head–Interventional Pulmonology, Medanta-Gurugram says, “Most patients assume COPD is the beginning of the end, however, it doesn’t have to be.” According to Dr Gopal, many  patients carry a silent burden of guilt. "For decades, COPD was unfairly tagged only as a “smoker’s disease,” leaving people feeling responsible for their own suffering. But today, things have changed", Dr Gopal tells Moneycontrol.

The reality, says Dr Gopal, is far more complex. "Pollution, rapid urbanisation, indoor biomass fuel, and workplace dust are now major drivers of COPD, especially across India. Many sufferers have never touched a cigarette", says Dr Gopal. Holding on to guilt, he adds, serves no medical purpose. "Anxiety fuels breathlessness, breathlessness fuels more fear, and the cycle quickly becomes suffocating. COPD may be chronic, but it is not hopeless. With medication, regular check-ups, rehabilitation, vaccinations, and an active lifestyle, people can live fully and independently", adds Dr Gopal.

Also Read: Why COPD cases are rising sharply in India and why it’s no longer a smoker’s disease

Dr Gopal shares habits and tools that help shift everyday life:

• Maintenance inhalers are not a sign of weakness.
• Long-acting bronchodilators (and inhaled steroids when needed) keep airways open.
• They reduce flare-ups and help you stay active with less struggle.

• Avoiding activity only weakens muscles and worsens breathlessness.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation uses safe, graded exercises.
• Patients often see better stamina, calmer breathing, and renewed confidence.

• Large, heavy meals can push up the diaphragm and worsen discomfort.
• Smaller meals and adequate protein support muscle strength, including breathing muscles.

Also Read: World COPD Day 2025: Pulmonologist shares simple ways to protect your lungs from pollution if you have Asthma or COPD

The most frightening sensation, as per Dr Gopal, that COPD brings is “air hunger.” “Anxiety tightens chest muscles, making everything worse.” Dr Gopal tells and shares a simple rescue technique, "Pursed-lip breathing, inhale gently through the nose, exhale slowly through pursed lips. This keeps airways open longer and restores a sense of control. It can break the panic-breathlessness loop within moments", adds Dr Gopal.

Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking and pollutants can help manage COPD.

Techniques like pursed-lip breathing, staying active, and using prescribed inhalers can reduce breathlessness.

Yes, pulmonary rehabilitation and safe, graded exercises can improve stamina and breathing.

Yes, smaller meals and adequate protein intake can support muscle strength and reduce discomfort.