When
Smokers Quit: the health benefits
For the vast majority of smokers, quitting smoking is the single best thing they can do to improve the length and quality of their lives.
The health benefits of quitting occur for all types of tobacco users, men and women, young and old. Even those who already have smoking-related problems such as heart disease can benefit.
When you give up tobacco, your body starts to renew itself as early as the first day of quitting.
After 8 hours:
- Carbon monoxide in your body drops.
- Oxygen level in your blood increases to normal.
After 2 days:
- Your sense of smell and taste will improve. You will enjoy your food more.
- Your risk of heart attack begins to decrease.
After 3 – 4 days:
- Bronchial tubes relax and your lung capacity will have increased, making breathing easier.
After 2 weeks:
- Blood flow improves; nicotine has passed from your body.
Within 2 weeks to 3 months:
- Circulation will improve, making walking and running easier; lung functioning increases up to 30%.
Within 6 to 9 months:
- You’ll experience less coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath.
After 1 year:
- Your risk of heart disease will be about half of what it would have been if you continued to smoke.
After 5 years:
- Your risk of stroke will be substantially reduced; within 5 to 15 years after quitting, it becomes about the same as a non-smokers.
After 10 years:
- Your risk of dying from lung cancer will be about half of what it would have been if you had continued to smoke.
- Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas will also decrease.
Within 15 years:
- Your risk of dying from a heart attack is equal to a person who never smoked.
Other benefits of quitting
Although reducing your chances of premature death and illness is important, they aren't the only benefits of quitting smoking.
- You’ll be in control – cigarettes will no longer control you or your lifestyle.
- Your self-image and self-confidence will improve.
- You'll feel proud of your ability to overcome something so challenging.
- You will have more energy to do the things you love.
And then, of course, the other stuff:
- Your smoking will no longer be a bad influence on younger children (including your brothers and sisters).
- Think of the money you will save by not buying tobacco, lighters, ashtrays, matches and so on.
- You will look and feel younger. Smokers are more likely to wrinkle at an earlier age and have deeper wrinkles.
- Your clothes may last longer (no chance of accidentally burning a hole).
- Quitting smoking reduces bad breath. Many people don’t like kissing smokers because of the smell.
- No more nagging from people asking when you’re going to quit.
- No more yellow teeth or fingers or bad breath.
- Regardless of your sport or activity, your performance, endurance and ability to play the game will improve after you quit smoking.
- No need to worry about which restaurant you go to or whether you can smoke in a particular place.
- No more looks of disapproval or feelings of guilt.
It's never too late to quit smoking.
Staying Smoke-Free
No cigarette is worth your health or the health of the people around you.
If you’ve quit within the past six months, you’re probably still developing this new "habit". After all, it took time to learn to smoke, so it will take some time to unlearn.
Remind yourself how far you’ve come and how hard it was to get there – think about what it would be like to have to go through that again.
Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting and all that you would be giving up.
Remind yourself that this craving is temporary, and if you choose to wait it out, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of being a non-smoker.
Saying goodbye to your old friend tobacco can be depressing. But feeling sad is a good sign. It means you are letting your feelings out and no longer using cigarettes to control your mood. Give tobacco a proper funeral.
Moving Past Setbacks
If you’ve slipped up in your quitting process, there’s good news: you don’t need to start from scratch.
If it happened recently (within the last 24 hours) it’s a small setback and nothing more. Don’t be too hard on yourself – you need to stay positive. Decide to get back on track now. Don’t let all of your efforts go to waste. Remember that you’ve already reduced your physical dependence on nicotine (particularly if you’ve gone a week or more without smoking) – the worst is over.
If it happened a while ago: Consider it part of the quitting process. Use this as an opportunity for learning. You’re in a better position to quit now then you were the last time you tried. Everyone who slips up can learn from it.
Identify the triggers: Ask yourself: What made me smoke? How did it happen and why?
Which situations will tempt you to start smoking when you are…
| Feeling frustrated or stressed? |  |
| Going for a drink? | |
| Offered a cigarette? | |
| (fill in your own) | |
What can I do to deal with the situation next time?
Come up with a plan.