Over half of smokers who report having tried unsuccessfully to quit in the last year.
Quitting smoking is no easy feat, even with all available cessation methods at their disposal. Most adults try and fail seven times before finally succeeding in going smoke-free for good.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in tobacco that has been shown to be nearly as potency as heroin and cocaine, according to some studies. Nicotine withdrawal can produce intense cravings associated with smoking cessation.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include:
Anxiety, headaches, mood swings and irritability as well as coughing and dry throat can result in dizziness and fatigue; dizziness then fatigue lead to insomia accompanied by increased appetite and sugar cravings can all increase anxiety levels and induce headaches, head trauma may result.
Failing to Focus
Although nicotine withdrawal symptoms only last a week or two, many give up trying to quit before their symptoms have subsided and this ultimately leads to their failure in trying to do so.
Quitting smoking brings with it many tangible changes that take effect almost instantly in your body, with positive transformations happening almost immediately and your health improving as soon as you finish that last cigarette.
These benefits of quitting cigarettes do not go away after you quit; rather, their effects remain with you throughout your lifetime.
So what happens in your body when you quit smoking?
After 20-20 Minutes
Within just 25-30 minutes after smoking your last cigarette, physiological changes have already begun occurring in your body.
Your blood pressure begins to reduce and your heart rate falls as your lungs eliminate chemicals and irritants that were inhaled from tobacco smoke.
After 8 Hours Within 8 hours after you quit smoking, your levels of carbon monoxide return to normal, enabling red blood cells to transport more oxygen through the body and making you feel more energetic and alert.
After 24 Hours Within 24 hours of quitting smoking, your capillaries will have expanded again and eased off their tension.
Relaxed vessels allow blood to more freely move throughout your body, relieving strain on your heart and helping reduce cardiovascular disease risks.
Two Days post-Cigarette Usage
Within 48 hours after you stop smoking, your sense of smell and taste may become sharper; cigarettes tend to dull these senses.
At this stage, nicotine cravings will likely be at their height. You could experience mood swings, anxiety, food cravings and concentration difficulties at work due to brain fog.
After two days of quitting smoking, breathing should become easier. Your lungs will relax and open up more readily to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide more efficiently.
After One Week
The first seven days after quitting smoking can be challenging; nicotine cravings will likely intensify and your urge to reach for that cigarette packet will only become greater. But persevere! Smokers who reach day seven have nine times higher odds of successfully quitting, so stay on your path!
Within seven days, several positive changes should have occurred within your body. Your lungs should feel clearer, making breathing simpler.
Within two weeks of quitting smoking, lung function increases by an estimated 30-35% and circulation will improve significantly, relieving stress from both heart and lungs and increasing energy levels.
After One Month
Within one month, you should begin to reap the many rewards of quitting smoking. Your energy and vitality will increase considerably and daily activities or exercises may become easier on your lungs – not to mention reduced breathlessness!
Your lung alveoli are beginning to regenerate at a healthier rate and mucus has mostly cleared from your lungs, which will also strengthen your immune system and decrease the chances of you contracting any new bacteria or viral infections.
Fertility has begun to improve for women and the risk of premature birth has reduced significantly.
Within Six Months Six months after quitting smoking, your nicotine cravings should have drastically diminished and your ability to cope with life’s many stressors improved – no longer will turning to cigarettes be your initial response in stressful situations.
As your airways become clearer, you should find yourself coughing up less phlegm and mucus and coughing less frequently. Your airways should feel much clearer.
Breathing will become much easier thanks to reduced inflammation from tobacco carcinogens that caused difficulty. You’ll feel less breathless during exercise sessions!
After One Year
Your lung health will have vastly improved since quitting smoking and your risk of lung cancer significantly lessened.
At this stage, most of the benefits may be less noticeable as they involve internal changes. Over time, your cardiovascular system should improve as cells regenerate in a smoke-free environment.
Once you become smoke free, you will find that socializing becomes much simpler – no more frequent trips outside to smoke! Now, you have more freedom in where and what you do!
At this stage, you should also have started reaping the financial benefits of quitting smoking. Your expenses have significantly declined; depending on how often and heavily you used to smoke, this could amount to savings of several hundreds of pounds each year.
After several Years
Over time, your risk of lung cancer should have dropped back down to that of nonsmokers, along with your risk for other cancers such as mouth, throat, oesophagus, kidneys, bladder and pancreas cancers.
After 10 years, your risk of cardiovascular disease should have decreased to that of someone who does not smoke; your overall health and well-being will be substantially better than before you began smoking.
