Getting Dressed With COPD Without Getting Breathless

To get dressed with COPD with less breathlessness, sit on a stable chair or the edge of the bed, lay out clothes first, and move slowly. Choose loose, stretchy garments and shoes that are easy to fasten. Dress one item at a time, pause before you feel worn out, and use a breathing technique taught by your healthcare team. If breathlessness is new or worsening, seek medical advice.

Why can getting dressed make you breathless?

Getting dressed may seem like a simple task, but it involves several movements, including bending forward, reaching for clothing, lifting your arms, and putting on shoes and socks. For someone living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), these movements may cause tiredness or shortness of breath. The American Lung Association explains that dressing can require extra energy, particularly when it involves repeated bending or raising the arms overhead.

The aim is not to avoid getting dressed or stop doing everyday activities. Instead, make the task easier by reducing unnecessary movements, giving yourself more time, and resting when needed. A few changes to your routine can help you manage your energy and make dressing more comfortable while preserving as much independence as possible.

How can you prepare for dressing when you have COPD?

Choose a time when you have more energy

Notice when you generally feel most comfortable and least tired during the day. If mornings are difficult, allow extra time for your routine rather than trying to get ready quickly. You may find it helpful to prepare your clothes the night before and avoid scheduling several demanding activities back to back. If your morning symptoms are regularly interfering with dressing, ask your healthcare professional whether the timing of your usual COPD treatment needs review.

Set up a comfortable dressing area

Use a stable chair with enough room to move your arms and legs comfortably. Choose a seat at a suitable height so you can sit upright with your feet supported. Keep your clothes, shoes, and dressing aids within easy reach, preferably at waist or chest level. This reduces the need to bend down, stretch overhead, or walk repeatedly between rooms. The Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland includes getting dressed among everyday activities that can cause breathlessness in people with COPD and recommends learning ways to manage breathing during daily tasks.

Choose clothing that is easy to put on

Clothing that fits comfortably and stretches easily can make dressing less tiring. Tight garments may be harder to pull on and can feel uncomfortable around the chest or waist. Consider clothes with simple fastenings, elasticated waistbands, front openings, and zips or other easy-to-use closures. Slip-on shoes or shoes with hook-and-loop fasteners may be easier than footwear requiring you to bend forward and tie laces.

Choose clothing that suits the weather without making you too hot or cold. If cold air tends to worsen your breathing, keep warm clothing within reach and put on outer layers before going outside. You do not need to replace your entire wardrobe; start with the items that are most difficult to manage.

What is the easiest way to get dressed with COPD?

A slow, seated routine can help you limit unnecessary effort. Try the following approach, adapting it to your mobility, balance, and usual breathing pattern.

1. Sit down before you begin. Put your clothes and any dressing aids nearby so you can complete the task without repeated trips or unnecessary reaching.
2. Start with the items that are easiest to manage. If you find bending difficult, try putting on trousers, underwear, or socks while seated. A footstool or dressing aid may help reduce how far you need to bend.
3. Put on one item at a time. Avoid rushing through several movements together. Finish one garment, pause if needed, and then move on to the next.
4. Keep your upper body relaxed. When putting on a shirt or top, move one arm at a time if that feels easier. Avoid repeatedly reaching high above your head or twisting to pull clothing into place.
5. Put on socks and shoes in a supported position. Use a long-handled shoehorn or sock aid if bending down makes you breathless or uncomfortable.
6. Allow time for fastenings. Sit comfortably to button clothing, adjust waistbands, or secure shoes. Ask for help with difficult fastenings rather than continuing until you are exhausted.

There is no single order that works for everyone. An occupational therapist can help you find a sequence that suits your strength, joint movement, balance, and breathing. Advice can be especially useful if dressing involves repeated breathlessness or you are finding it increasingly difficult to manage independently.

How should you breathe while getting dressed?

Use the breathe-out-on-effort technique

Some people find it helpful to breathe out during the part of a movement that takes the most effort. For example, breathe in gently before lifting an arm into a sleeve, then breathe out slowly as you complete the movement. If you need to stand up to adjust clothing, breathe out as you rise rather than holding your breath. The Whittington Health NHS patient information leaflet on COPD and breathlessness describes this approach as “blow as you go.” Practise it slowly so you can use it comfortably during everyday activities.

Try pursed-lip breathing

Pursed-lip breathing is a simple technique that may help slow your breathing when you feel short of breath. Relax your shoulders, breathe in gently through your nose if possible, and then breathe out slowly through lips held as though you are about to whistle. Let the breath leave naturally rather than forcing it out, and do not hold your breath. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus guidance on breathing when short of breath explains how to practise this technique and use it during activities that cause breathlessness.

It can be useful to practise pursed-lip breathing while comfortably seated, before trying it during dressing. When you become breathless, stop moving and give yourself time to recover. You may find it helpful to rest with your back supported and your shoulders relaxed. If a particular breathing technique makes you dizzy or more uncomfortable, stop and discuss it with your healthcare professional rather than forcing yourself to continue.

Which dressing aids can make the task easier?

Simple equipment can reduce the amount of bending, stretching, and gripping needed to get dressed. You may only need one or two items to make a useful difference.

• Long-handled shoehorn: Helps guide your foot into a shoe without reaching as far down.
• Sock aid: Helps you put on socks while reducing the need to bend forward.
• Reacher or grabber: Helps you pick up clothing or retrieve an item from a low or distant surface.
• Easy-fastening clothes: Garments with simple closures can reduce the time and effort needed to dress.
• Stable chair: Provides a supported place to sit while putting on clothing and footwear.

A dressing aid should suit your abilities and be safe for you to use. If you have difficulty maintaining your balance, avoid standing on one leg to pull on trousers or shoes. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can advise on suitable equipment, positioning, and ways to maintain independence without increasing your risk of falling.

What if you use oxygen while getting dressed?

If supplemental oxygen has been prescribed for use during daily activities, follow your healthcare team's instructions while dressing. Do not remove your oxygen or change the prescribed flow rate simply to make dressing easier. Arrange the tubing so it is less likely to catch around your feet, chair, or clothing, and check that it has not become kinked or trapped as you move. If you are unsure how to manage your equipment safely during dressing, ask your oxygen supplier or healthcare professional for guidance.

When should you seek medical advice about breathlessness while dressing?

Some breathlessness may occur during everyday activity with COPD, but a noticeable change in your usual breathing should not be ignored. Contact your healthcare professional if dressing has become increasingly difficult, you need much longer to recover after routine movements, or your breathlessness is happening more often than usual. The MedlinePlus guidance on day-to-day living with COPD recommends medical review when breathing becomes harder or faster than before, or when you cannot speak more than a few words without becoming short of breath.

Seek emergency medical help if you experience a rapid increase in breathlessness, particularly if it is sudden or severe. The MedlinePlus overview of COPD identifies a rapid increase in shortness of breath as a reason to seek emergency care. Do not assume that a new or marked change is simply due to getting dressed.

If dressing regularly leaves you exhausted or breathless despite these adjustments, discuss the problem with your healthcare team. They can review your symptoms and current care plan and may recommend pulmonary rehabilitation or occupational therapy to help you manage everyday activities more comfortably.