You can reduce the impact of the weather on your lung, through monitoring the weather forecast. You can enjoy your activities all year round by identify your trigger factors before going outside. Follow the tips:
- If you have asthma or COPD, always keep quick-relief medications with you. Stop activity and use your quick-relief medicine as soon as you begin to have symptoms
- Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and don’t go out between 11am and 3pm (the hottest part of the day)
- The summer heat and humidity can make it difficult to breathe for even the healthiest person. For people suffering from Asthma, a chronic lung disease like COPD or pulmonary fibrosis, outside factors like temperature, pollution and humidity can have a huge impact on flare-ups, shortness of breath and other aggravating symptoms
- On very hot, humid days, especially days that have high levels of air pollution or smog, stay indoors. Find an indoor place that’s cool. Make sure the place you choose has clean air – this means no tobacco smoke or harsh scents.
- Keep windows and doors closed to keep your house cool and keep pollutants out. Keep curtains and blinds drawn to keep out the heat. Turn on fans at night, if you don’t have air conditioning and there are low levels of air pollution outdoors open your window to let the cooler air in.
- Children and individual over 65 years of age are at higher risk of dehydration during summer season. It is important for anyone during summer season to drink water always and stay rehydrated.
- Lung conditions like COPD are worsened by dehydration and COPD could flare up. The signs of a COPD flare-up include increased shortness of breath, as well as increased coughing and sputum (phlegm or mucus). [Note – If you notice any of these symptoms, follow the advice in your COPD action plan. If you don’t know what to do or if your symptoms are getting worse, call your doctor. If you can’t reach your doctor, go to the hospital emergency department].
- If it’s cold outside, loosely wrap a scarf around your nose and mouth to warm the air before it enters your lungs. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.