And that’s just for starters.

Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, often goes hand in hand with COPD.

In fact, walking is as effective as running for lowering blood pressure.

woman taking a walk in the park

Igor Alecsander / Getty Images

This may even be enough to control blood pressure without the need for medication.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Living with COPD can be highly stressful.

This is normal, part of our natural “fight or flight” response.

Similarly, there’s a growing body of research linking exercise with improved brain health.

Even short bouts of aerobic activity can reduce the urge to light up.

Regular activity also can help you avoid a common side effect of quitting smoking: weight gain.

First check with your healthcare provider.

If you get short of breath, stop and rest for a moment before moving on.

In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds.Endotext.

South Dartmouth, MA: MDText.com, Inc.; 2016.

2014;43(11):1468-1477.