Physically
Your body will repair itself over time. After a year, your risk of heart disease drops to half that of a smoker. After 10 years your lung cancer risk will also be half that of a smoker, while your risk of a heart attack is no more than that of a lifelong non-smoker. Now you’ve stopped smoking, you’ll be feeling full of beans, with increased energy and less coughing in the mornings. Even if you’re over 50, by stopping smoking now you could help to avoid nine out of 10 of the health risks you face by continuing..
- Better Looks.Your body is reaping the benefits of quitting smoking and you may have noticed some of the following benefits to your looks already.
- Soft, shiny hair. Smokers tend to have brittle hair. Giving up increases the flow of nutrients to the hair, improving nourishment and getting rid of the dry, lacklustre effect of cigarette smoke.
- Fewer wrinkles. Squinting through tobacco smoke and puckering your lips around a cigarette causes lines to appear near your eyes and mouth. A smoker in their 40s has as many wrinkles as a non-smoker in their 60s. Smoking can also increase wrinkles by drying up the skin, giving up will help you look younger – for longer.
- A White Smile. Stopping smoking means whiter teeth and a reduced risk of losing them: smoking makes it harder for saliva to remove bacteria in your mouth so you’re more susceptible to gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss and bad breath.
- An Improved Complexion. Smoking restricts the flow of oxygen and essential nutrients to the skin causing it to look grey and wasted. A smoker’s skin may look 10-20 years older than a non-smoker’s.
- Hello Taste Buds! After two weeks of cigarette-free living, your taste buds will be coming back to life. While it’s great to enjoy your food again, you may notice that you’ve put on weight. You are not alone – four out of five people gain some weight when they quit. However, most people shift the extra pounds within a few months.
Emotionally
As the buzz of successfully quitting fades, you may feel a little flat – which could spark off a craving. If you feel tempted, remember how much better you look and feel as a non-smoker. Consider all the money you’ve saved, and how much more in control you feel. Remind yourself of all the reasons you stopped in the first place, then look back at the techniques that have kept you smoke free for this long, then stick with what's been working for you.
Friends and Family
Hopefully, your friends and family have been a great source of support and encouragement so far. If you still need their support, don’t be afraid to ask, and if a strong craving hits out of the blue, give an ex-smoker friend a call and find out how they resisted temptation. Thinking of the benefits to your family should also keep you on the straight and narrow. After all, the most important thing a parent can do to keep their child healthy is to ensure they live in a smoke-free home. As you’re doing so well, why don’t you treat yourself to a night out with friends? The smoking ban means you are safe from temptation in the pub, and besides – you deserve it!
Money, Money, Money
To strengthen your resolve, try working out how much money you’re saving – and what this could build to in the future (plus more if you invest it)…
| | 5 a day | 20-a-day | 40-a-day |
1 Year | £479 | £1,898 | £3,796 |
10 Years | £4,790 | £18,980 | £37,960 |
20 Years | £9,580 | £37,960 | £75,920 |
Which could buy you…? A dream holiday, A dream car, No mortgage! (for all the family)
By the end of week three, 20-a-day quitters will have around £110* by not buying cigarettes. Why not use this cash to splash out on something nice for you or the family?
(*Based on a cost of £5.25 for 20 cigarettes)
Which could buy you…? A dream holiday, A dream car, No mortgage! (for all the family)By the end of week three, 20-a-day quitters will have around £110* by not buying cigarettes. Why not use this cash to splash out on something nice for you or the family?(*Based on a cost of £5.25 for 20 cigarettes)
Over Three Months
8 hours after your last cigarette, carbon monoxide levels in the blood reduce by half and oxygen levels return to normal.
24 hours afterwards, carbon monoxide has been eliminated from your body and your lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.
Within 48 hours your sense of taste and smell are reawakening.
After 72 hours your breathing is easier, your bronchial tubes begin to relax and your energy levels increase.
After 2 weeks circulation improves throughout your body.
During week 2 your withdrawal symptoms should start to lessen.
During week 3 your concentration should improve.
During week 3 your cravings should be easing off – you are through the worst.
During week 4 any irritability, restlessness or depression should lift Stopping smoking reduces the risk of 50 different diseases and conditions.
At 2 months you may still have cravings, but without the nasty withdrawal symptoms you experienced at the beginning, controlling them is easier.
After 3 months, coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing decrease From 3-9 months overall lung function can improve by 5-10%.
