By Susan Oderwald
Senior Life
Susan Oderwald
May is Lung Health Awareness Month. Our lung health is critical at any age, but there are specific challenges to maintaining good lung health as we age.
According to the American Lung Association, it is important to recognize that our lungs fully develop by the age of 20-25 and start to gradually decline after age 35.
There are several natural changes that happen as we age that may cause a decline in lung capacity. Muscles that assist with breathing such as the diaphragm can get weaker. Lung tissue that helps keep your airways open can lose elasticity, which means your airways can get a little smaller. Your rib cage bones can contract which leaves less room for your lungs to expand. This decline is normal and expected. Because our lung capacity declines, it is important to maintain good lung function as we age to feel our best.
There are several ways to help keep your lungs as healthy as possible. First, don’t smoke – no surprises there, smoking is very damaging to lungs at any age. Exercise and physical activity force your heart and lungs to work harder and get stronger, helping to retain capacity. Breathing exercises help exchange the air in your lungs, increasing oxygen exchange and working diaphragm muscles.
Respiratory viruses are more dangerous to people as they age. Try to avoid contracting respiratory infections by lessening your exposure when possible and keeping up to date on vaccines that will help protect or reduce the intensity of infection. Anyone over age 60 should regularly discuss vaccines with their doctors to ensure they understand their risks and are protected. Respiratory infections can cause both temporary and permanent damage to lung tissues.
Finally, like many categories of disease, pulmonary diseases become more prevalent as we age. Damage from smoking, indoor and outdoor air pollution and the collective impact of infections or other disease processes over time will cause some of us to experience chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is a catch-all term used for any lung condition that limits air flow into the lungs, such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema. While the leading cause of COPD is smoking, about 25 percent of people with COPD never smoked.
There are many ways to treat and live with this condition, although there is no cure. It is important to be under the care of a physician to help control symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
Most of us who go through life without lung issues take our breathing for granted. But as part of aging, it is important to recognize that lung decline is inevitable, and our lung health is something we need to put a little work into to stay healthy. Talk with your doctors or visit the American Lung Association website to learn more about taking care of your lungs as you age.
Susan Oderwald is care director at the Always Best Care Senior Services Milford Office. She can be reached at Soderwald@abc-seniors.com or 203-877-1377.