Quitting smoking can be challenging, but it is worth it for your health. Heres what to expect after quitting smoking:
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Withdrawal symptoms: Some people have only a few mild symptoms when they quit, while others find it harder. Withdrawal symptoms can include restlessness, trouble concentrating or sleeping, irritability, anger, anxiety, depressed mood, and an increase in appetite and weight gain. These symptoms are signs that your body is recovering from the damage smoking has caused, and they will pass as your body gets used to not smoking.
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Health benefits: Health benefits begin in as little as an hour after the last cigarette and continue to improve. Within six hours, your heart rate will slow and your blood pressure will become more stable. Within one day, your chance of having a heart attack decreases. Within two days, your senses of taste and smell get sharper as your nerve endings start to heal, and your lungs start to clean out mucus and other gunk left from cigarettes. Over time, your risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and lung disease will drop down to the levels of a non-smoker.
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Challenges: Quitting smoking is a journey, not a single event. The first seven to 10 days are the toughest, and you may need the most help during these early days. Most smokers who return to smoking do so within the first three months. Former smokers sometimes get urges to smoke months or even years after they quit, but these urges will occur less often over time and will eventually stop completely. People who smoke are more likely to have anxiety or depression than people who don’t smoke.
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Tips: To help you quit smoking, it can be helpful to have a plan, figure out how to deal with cravings, and manage your weight gain. You can also use quit smoking medications such as nicotine gum. It's important to stay committed to quitting, even if you experience setbacks or lapses.
