Author Archives: Jackie Aim

Other factors

Man sitting up in bed coughing

© Crown copyright 2014

Increased exposure to allergen.

Delayed response to a trigger:

  • When the initial acute reaction takes place within 1 hour.
  • Then a second response can occur between 3 to 8 hours after exposure to the allergen.

Cooling of the airways such as :

  • The breathing of cooler air for example air conditioning in the  room.
  • Extreme changes in your room temperature in winter time.

Circadian rhythm – your body clock:

Your body clock regulates your daily routine through a series of processes which influence your sleep cycle.
Hormones are released into your circulation which can affect asthma:

  • Melatonin, a hormone that causes you to feel sleepy. It can also affect bronchial muscle tone and inflammation of the mucous linings.
  • Adrenalin, relaxes muscle of airways keeping them open.
  • Histamine is suppressed, causing increased mucus secretion and bronchospasm (tightening  of the airway).

Sleep changes the airway function

When we sleep our breathing changes and the airways airway narrow:

  • Mucus build up in swollen airways.
  • You may cough which triggers more airway narrowing.
  • Wakening you from sleep.

Sinus problems can make sleep worse. During the night you may experience increased sinus drainage. This is when mucous drains from your sinus cavities into your throat. However some of this mucous trickles into your airways which can trigger sensitive airways to narrow further.

Lying flat can affect your breathing by:

  • Increasing sinus drainage.
  • Increasing blood flow to the lung which makes them heavier and the airways can become compressed.
  • Reduced volume of air moving in and out of the lungs.
  • Your diaphragm moves less when you lie flat.
  • Increase in the airway resistance. This can be made worse by Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease, causing heart burn.  If the reflux trickles into the airway, spasm can be aggravated by lying flat.

How sleep process affects breathing

asleep_in_bed
There are 3 stages of sleep:

  • Light sleep.
  • Sleep where heart rate and breathing become regular and your temperature lowers.
  • Deep sleep, where breathing slows and muscles relax.

Airway resistance increases a night, whether awake or asleep. This increase is greater though during sleep. So airway function decreases as you progress through the 3 stages of sleep.

This is true for everyone but the effect is greater with asthma.

Sleep and asthma symptoms

Man sitting up in bed coughing

© Crown copyright 2014

Asthma symptoms you might notice at night include:

  • Cough.
  • Wheeze.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Difficulty getting to sleep.
  • Poor quality , un-refreshing , fragmented sleep.
  • Wakening earlier.

All of these cause you to have a bad night and can be very frightening, and results in an increase in day time sleepiness. This can be called ‘nocturnal asthma’.

Summary

  • Physical activity breaks the cycle of inactivity.
  • Physical activity will not harm you.
  • Physical activity makes you feel better.
  • Exercise is more structured physical activity that will give you more specific improvements.
  • There are many options for keeping physically active – do something you enjoy to help you to stick at it!

Useful links:

To find out about local groups/activities try contacting your local council for leisure classes.

Ideas for physical activity you might enjoy.

Group of older people doing an aerobics class

© Crown copyright 2009

It’s important to make the right choice for you – if you enjoy exercise you are more likely to keep it up.

  • Sport – Swimming (easier on the joints), golf, cycling on a static bike indoors or on a bicycle.
  • Gardening.
  • Exercise classes or groups for example aerobics, aqua aerobics, walking groups.
  • Tai Chi.
  • Gym classes.
  • Bowling.
  • Curling.
  • Singing.
  • Dancing.

Simple ways to be more physically active

Older man gardening

  • Tap your toes, heels and fingers while sitting and watching TV or listening to the radio.
  • Move around during the adverts on television.
  • Change your habits, lose the TV remote. Get up to change the TV channel or at least get up and move about each time you change the programme.
  • Weed the garden or rake the lawn.
  • Hang up some washing, do gentle housework.
  • Try to do your housework with a bit more ‘gusto’, putting some music on can make this more fun!
  • Get off the bus a stop earlier and walk a little further.
  • Park the car a little further away, or leave it at home and walk.
  • Take the stairs (within reason).
  • Walk the dog.

Make a record of your activity. This can give you a sense of achievement and makes you more likely to keep up with regular exercise. Have a wet weather alternative so you can still be active even if the weather is bad.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s DON’Ts
  • DO be sure to carry any sprays or inhalers with you when you exercise as advised by your health care professional.
  • DO always warm up. Begin with some gentle movements to warm up your muscle and prepare your body for exercise.
  • DO work at your own level. Here are some symptoms you will experience when exercising at a moderate level. These are normal.
    • Your heart will beat a bit faster.
    • You will breathe more quickly and deeply, but you should still be able to manage short sentences.
    • You will feel warmer.
    • You will sweat more.
  • DO finish with a cool down. Gentle stretches as your body cools down.
  • DO include some breathing exercises (For more information please see our section on How to clear your chest with breathing techniques).
  • DON’T exercise if you feel unwell, sick, get dizzy or experience pain? STOP. If your symptoms don’t settle or if they come back later see your doctor.
  • DON’T give up on exercising. Build up gradually and keep a regular routine of rest and exercise for your self management of COPD.
  • DON’T let the great Scottish weather put you off. There are lots of activities and exercises you can do at home or indoors.

Types of exercises

  • Cartoon picture of person doing yoga
    Suppleness
    We know that if you are more flexible daily tasks such as bending and reaching are easier. This will also help you to improve your posture which means your lungs will work better.
  • Picture of weightsStrengthening
    This will increase the load that your muscles can cope with. We know that having stronger muscles will mean that you are less breathless during activity. Strengthening exercises may involve working against your own body weight, for example squats (bending at the knees to a squatting position while standing), or it may involve using external weights, for example hand or ankle weights.
  • Cartoon picture of lady doing aerobics
  • Stamina
    These exercises help your heart and your lungs by making them work a bit harder. You will feel breathless during these exercises – this is normal. For more information please see our section on Pulmonary Rehab. Cardiovascular exercise may include walking, cycling or running – any activity that makes you breathless!