Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy this Spring

Spring is here and it’s a good time to revisit ways to help keep your lungs healthy, particularly when you have a chronic lung disease like asthma or COPD. These conditions often have similar triggers, which can cause symptoms. Here are some helpful tips to avoid flare-ups this spring.

Spring Cleaning

It is called “spring cleaning” for a reason. You may spend extra time deep cleaning your home and decluttering to give yourself a nice fresh start. While spring cleaning, we suggest these healthy tips:

• Try to choose cleaning products that do not contain or contain very little volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fragrances, chemicals and flammable ingredients.
• Dust off surfaces with a damp or microfiber cloth and vacuum rugs and furniture.
• Ventilate your home if the weather permits while you are deep cleaning by opening windows up to flush out the air in your home.

Weather, Pollen & Air Pollution

With spring comes common asthma and COPD triggers such as air pollution, hot and humid weather and allergens.

• Check the air quality (airnow.gov) and temperature before you head outdoors. If the air pollution levels and/or temperature is high, limit how much you’re out and about.
• Check the pollen count and when it is increased, limit your time outdoors. As part of spring cleaning, change the air filters in your heating and cooling systems and consider investing in an air cleaner.

Infectious Respiratory Diseases

Though spring isn’t typically known to be cold and flu season, bacteria and other germs can make you sick anytime of the year. You can take proactive steps to help protect your health such as:

• Washing your hands often
• Avoiding people who are sick and
• Ensuring you’re up to date on your pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination.

Did you know that if you are an adult 19 or older with asthma or COPD, you are at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia? Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease that can disrupt your life for weeks and, in severe cases, put you in the hospital and even be life-threatening. You can get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia any time of year and, even if you've already had a previous pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine, your healthcare provider may recommend additional vaccination to help prevent the disease.  

 Learn more at Lung.org/pneumococcal

Developed by the American Lung Association in partnership with Pfizer Inc.