Chronic stress may also cause more frequent flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. For this reason, it’s important to learn how to manage stress. Stress management is about the way you react to stressors, the events or situations that cause stress in your life.

Stress is a known COPD trigger. When you feel stressed and anxious, you may breathe faster, which can make you feel short of breath. When it is harder to breathe, you feel more anxious, and the cycle continues, leading you to feel even worse.