There are many benefits to those who have quit smoking. Some benefits are gained within minutes while other benefits will not happen for years. These benefits range from fresh breath to decreases in chances of getting certain cancers. Please keep in mind that many benefits after quit smoking cannot be put on a time line, such as the lack of smell on clothes, in your vehicle, house and other areas. The below paragraphs are general measurements, it may take more or less time for a specific person, that apply to people who quit smoking without the aid of cessation products.

Within the first day of quitting you begin to see some positive changes, within 20 minutes your blood pressure and pulse rate begin to normalize. Also in the first day your blood oxygen levels return to normal and the amount of carbon monoxide in your system will drop to normal. You most likely will reach your anxiety peak during the first twenty four hours as well, so it only gets better from here!

Plan for the symptoms to continue for about 8 - 12 weeks after you quit smoking before you a really start to think and feel as an ex-smoker. The normal conditions that you can expect to experience are nausea, headaches, short temperedness and thirst, which your body actually often confuses with hunger. These symptoms will peak at about 48 hours after you last puff of smoke, and will dissipate over time. Some side effects, however, may linger as long as 6 months, but generally not nearly at the level you experience right after you quit smoking.

Almost immediately after your last cigarette your blood pressure will start to decrease, your hear rate slows, ad your hands and feet may start to feel warmer. As a result, you may start sweating more and may even feel slight tingling in your hands and feet as well.

After about 8 hours of your last cigarette, the carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal and the oxygen that flows through your blood also returns to a stable level.

When you make it past the 48 hour mark, your nerve endings in your lungs actually start to heal and reproduce, and your senses come alive as your ability to taste and smell improves tremendously. As the lungs start to repair themselves, you may experience some cold-like symptoms. Your throat could become soar, and might cough up some heavy mucus or have other respiratory problems. This is completely normal.

Withdrawal symptoms may also include restlessness or insomnia, a felling of being in a state of confusion, irritability, short-temperedness, anxiety and irritability. Studies show that people tend to go through a period of depression and can have extreme mood swings when they quit smoking and suffer from nicotine withdrawal as well.

It's important to understand what you will experience after you quit smoking in order to plan your end date appropriately. By being aware of the potential symptoms you may experience, you can also mentally prepare yourself for a tough road ahead. When you expect the worst, you'll be pleasantly surprised and find it easier to reach your goal.

Quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make to improve your overall health and well-being, however, you may wonder what happens when you quit smoking. Although it can be hard, the benefits are extensive and well worth the effort and knowing what to expect can make the process easier. Read on to learn what happens when you quit smoking.

Side Effects

What happens when you quit smoking initially depends on the method you use. The nicotine found in cigarettes is highly addictive and you will most likely experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings when you quit. If you quit cold- turkey, the side effects of quitting can be more intense than if you use the assistance of smoking cessation drugs. Withdrawal symptoms may include headache, intestinal distress, tingling of the extremities, sweating, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, and weight gain. Remember, these side effects are temporary.

Immediate Benefits

You may wonder what happens when you quit smoking in other areas of your life. Quitting brings about many immediate positive benefits. Your teeth will get whiter, your breath fresher and your skin will appear healthier. Your hair and clothes will no longer smell stale and smoky. In addition, your damaged sense of taste will begin to return to normal and you will enjoy eating food more. You also will no longer have to leave your family and friends to have a cigarette or worry about avoid exposing them to secondhand smoke.

Quit Smoking Timeline

The American Cancer Society has developed a timeline to show what happens when you stop smoking. Within the first 12 hours of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop and carbon dioxide levels return to normal.

Within three months, circulation and lung functions increase. Within nine months, lung function is returning to normal. One year after quitting, the risk of heart disease is cut in half and within five years, the risk of oral, esophagus, and bladder cancers is cut in half and stroke risk is greatly reduced. Finally, ten years after quitting, lung cancer risk is also cut in half.

Other Benefits

In addition to the health benefits of kicking the habit, there are some other welcome benefits. Improved looks and not worrying about offending others when smoking may increase your self-esteem. Worrying less about your health can cause you to feel more relaxed. In addition, money once spent on cigarettes can now be put towards something else or saved. Putting that money away for retirement is a great option.

Of the many wonderful things that happen to you when you quit smoking, reducing the likelihood of stroke and heart attack should be high on anyone's list of useful benefits. Smokers are as likely to suffer a stroke as non-smokers after only 5 years off the cigarettes. Your chances of heart disease also plummet once you quit. In fact, after 15 years, the risks of heart disease in ex-smokers is as low as it is in non-smokers.

One final thing that happens to you when you quit smoking is the reduced likelihood of contracting cancer. Most people think that smokers only really run the risk of contracting lung cancer but there is more to it than that. Smokers run a seriously increased risk of throat cancer, mouth cancer, tongue cancer, oesophageal cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, bowel cancer, bladder cancer and stomach cancer. Many of them have very poor treatment rates and are very painful. Stopping smoking reduces the risks associated with all of these potential cancers.

So, what happens to your body when you quit smoking is pretty much all positive. There are reduced risks of smoking related diseases, which are nearly all fatal. There are improvements in general health through the improved environment that you body exists in when it is not puffing away on smokes. Finally, there are some other positives in the sense that your complexion will improve, the brightness of your eyes, the colour of your skin will improve and of course your bank balance will also have a positive. All in all, I can't think of a good reason why anyone should think about not quitting smoking.

Let's get right to it. You can quit smoking for free. That's right. You don't need to purchase patches or gum. You don't need to enroll in an expensive program. You can stop smoking for free if you simply create a plan and then implement your plan.

Even if you are not ready to quit today, or tomorrow, or next week, you need to create a plan so that when the time comes to stop smoking cigarettes, you already have a quitting timeline as well as a step-by-step plan to successfully stop smoking.

The first component of your plan will consist of the all the reasons you want to quit. You need to develop a clear understanding of your motivation to quit before you will be able to successfully quit forever. Unless you put it in writing, it's not a plan - it's just a dream. So, commit your reasons to writing and they form the basis for your plan.

I suggest you carry a 3x5 index card with you at all times. Create your list on this card and add to it each time you think of another reason to stop smoking. This index card will form the basis of your plan. While it is possible to stop cold turkey, it is more likely that you will achieve success at quitting by developing your list of reasons to quit over a period of time. You might add to your list over days, weeks, or months. It really doesn't matter how long it takes. As long as you continue to recognize your reasons to quit and as long as you review your card on a regular basis (preferably every day), those reasons will ultimately form the basis for your decision to finally quit.

When the time is right, pick a day to quit. Make sure it's reasonable that you will be able to get through your first, second, and third day without a cigarette. For example, New Year's Eve is probably not the best time for most people to quit. Try to pick a time where you have several days in a row that are low-stress, low-involvement days.

When I finally quit smoking (after 20 years), I picked an appropriate day to quit and reviewed my list of reasons every time I felt the urge to light up. In addition to my list of reasons and picking an appropriate time, I also used Fisher Sunflower Seeds. I put one (and only one) in my mouth at a time. The salt provided an interesting sensation and I used my tongue to play with the shell until I was able to open it and chew the sunflower seed. Then I continued to suck on the shell and play with it. This process lasted 30 to 60 minutes, and then I would take it out of my mouth and put a new one in. Think about it. It satisfies your oral urges, gives you something to take your mind off smoking, and can be discretely used in an office, retail, or even social environment.

Most smokers will have that first cigarette before they even step in the shower in the morning. If you can eliminate that ritual, you are well on your way to success. I'm sure you can wait until after breakfast.

No smoking in the car. Many of us have long commutes to work and back, and usually have at least 1 or 2 cigarettes during those drive times. Other times, we'll have one on the way to the store. Train yourself not to light up while you are in travel mode.

No smoking in the house. After I left my apartment and bought my first house, I made a rule to myself that there will be absolutely no smoking inside my castle. By making it a habit of going outside, I was able to cut down on the number of cigarettes on a daily basis. This especially works well on rainy days and during the winter, when it's just too cold to step out too much.

No smoking breaks at work. A lot of folks will take 4 or 5 breaks at work to step outside and have a smoke. Remember that your employer is not paying you to spend 30 minutes a day away from your desk. Wait until lunch time.

Keep yourself active. I have always found myself with a cigarette in my hand when I'm simply sitting around, and doing nothing. If you feel the urge to light-up, stick a piece of hard candy in your mouth and do some house or yard work.

It's all about willpower and self control. If you can tackle these simple methods, you are on the way to better health and a lot more money to save.

Since a large amount of calories is burnt, the metabolism within the smoker is boosted to a large extent. Another important factor is that nicotine works as an appetite suppressant that brings down the urge to eat food items. All these things tend to keep the weight constant for a person.

However, I've noticed overweight smokers in my life as well as thin ones. "But I'll gain weight if I stop smoking."... this is a weak excuse. In the long run through smoking, there is a possibility that the person looses weight and the body's strength of immunity. Once the side effects of smoking are visible in you, it becomes difficult to repair the damage if not prevented in the early stages.

Weight gained after you quit smoking can be easily lost... I repeat EASILY LOST. However, the negative effects of smoking cannot be reduced within a week or two if they cause maximum damage.