Lung Health Archive

The surge in heat waves and extreme heat poses serious health risks for everyone but is a particular worry for older adults. What can you do to manage heat-related risks, especially if you have existing health conditions or take certain medications?

In the summertime, one of the chief contributors to symptom flares of lung problems is hot air, especially if it’s also humid, stagnant, or very dry. Such weather might narrow the airways, making it much harder to breathe normally. This might occur because hot air irritates the nerves, widens blood vessels near the lungs, or causes people to breathe faster. To avoid breathing difficulty, doctors advise people with lung disease to follow strategies such as keeping their inhalers handy and staying in air-conditioned spaces.

Wildfire smoke contributes greatly to poor air quality, and as wildfires become more frequent due to climate change and drier conditions, more of us and more of our communities are at risk for health harms. Here are ways to cope.

If possible, everyone should prepare for the possibility of needing support services or long-term care in older age, even if it’s not yet needed. Ways to prepare include designating a health care proxy and power of attorney; writing advance directives for health care preferences; investigating potential housing options (such as assisted living facilities) and support services (such as a health aide) well in advance; downsizing belongings, including one’s home; and meeting with a financial planner to figure out how to tackle caregiving expenses.

In a 2024 review of 116 randomized, controlled trials including almost 7,000 people (average age 46) who were overweight or obese, as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per week was linked to reduced body weight, waist size, and body fat over eight weeks.