AGING CHANGES IN YOUR BODY AND THEIR AFFECTS ON THE LUNGS

Changes to the bones and muscles of the chest and spine:

Bones become thinner and change shape. This can change the shape of your ribcage. As a result, your ribcage cannot expand and contract as well during breathing.

The muscle that supports your breathing, the diaphragm, becomes weakened. This weakness may prevent you from breathing enough air in or out.

These changes in your bones and muscles may lower the oxygen level in your body. Also, less carbon dioxide may be removed from your body. Symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath can result.

Changes to lung tissue:

Muscles and other tissues that are near your airways may lose their ability to keep the airways completely open. This causes the airways to close easily.

Aging also causes the air sacs to lose their shape and become baggy.

These changes in lung tissue can allow air to get trapped in your lungs. Too little oxygen may enter your blood vessels and less carbon dioxide may be removed. This makes it hard to breathe.

Changes to the nervous system:

The part of the brain that controls breathing may lose some of its function. When this happens, your lungs are not able to get enough oxygen. Not enough carbon dioxide may leave the lungs. Breathing may get more difficult.

Nerves in your airways that trigger coughing become less sensitive. Large amounts of particles like smoke or germs may collect in the lungs and may be hard to cough up.

Changes to the immune system:

Your immune system can get weaker. This means your body is less able to fight lung infections and other diseases.

Your lungs are also less able to recover after exposure to smoke or other harmful particles.

COMMON PROBLEMS

As a result of these changes, older people are at increased risk for:

Lung infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis

Shortness of breath

Low oxygen level

Abnormal breathing patterns, resulting in problems such as sleep apnea (episodes of stopped breathing during sleep)

PREVENTION

To decrease the effects of aging on the lungs:

Do not smoke. Smoking harms the lungs and speeds up lung aging.

Do physical exercise to improve lung function.

Get up and move. Lying in bed or sitting for long periods allows mucus to collect in the lungs. This puts you at risk of lung infections. This is especially true right after surgery or when you are ill.