The Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking - Quit Support

Quit Support

15,422 members30,038 posts

The Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking

EmJay profile image
EmJayPartner
7 Replies

Stopping smoking is the single most important thing that you can do to improve your health. That is a fact.

Unfortunately, not every benefit is visible and you can be left thinking to yourself that you don't feel any different.

However, there are a lot of changes going on behind the scenes that you may not be aware of, but you can rest assure that your body is busying itself away and repairing as much of the damage that smoking has done to your body as possible.

Your body will begin to repair itself as soon as you stop smoking and you'll go on feeling the health benefits for the rest of your life.

20 minutes after stopping, your blood pressure and pulse rate will return to normal. Circulation improves in hands and feet, making them warmer.

8 hours after stopping, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood will be cut by half and oxygen levels will return to normal. Chances of a heart attack start to fall.

24 hours after stopping, the level of carbon monoxide in your body will be that of a non-smoker and your lungs will start to clear. You could always ask at your local pharmacy or GP surgery and see if they can check your carbon monoxide levels for you.

48 hours after stopping, your body is becoming free of nicotine and your sense of taste and smell is improving.

72 hours after stopping, you should be breathing more easily. Airway passages in the lungs begin to relax. Energy levels increase.

2 – 12 weeks after stopping, your circulation is improving, making walking easier.

3 – 9 months after stopping, your lung function has increased by up to 10%. That means less coughing and wheezing and fewer breathing problems.

5 years after stopping, your risk of having a heart attack is halved.

10 years after stopping, your risk of contacting lung cancer is halved and your risk of having a heart attack is the same as if you’d never smoked.

Written by
EmJay profile image
EmJay
Partner
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
7 Replies
sue52 profile image
sue523 YEAR WINNER

Wow thanks for this Emjay everybody should read this and remember it, there is no better reasons to stop :)

jillygirl profile image
jillygirlAdministratorQueen Bee

hi emjay, i am going to print the list off. its brilliant, and gives us all encouragement.

jillygirl.

andi22 profile image
andi22

Hi emjay, very interesting for me as a new arrival but not too sure about the blood pressure yet as I seem to be jittery & fidgety all the time.

monky profile image
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer

Hi everybody, yes you've performed magic again Emjay, just what we needed and i too am going to print it off Jillygirl.

Just a thought Emjay but is there anywhere you can keep this on the site for other people to see, say next week or next month????? ha ha i'm sure you are going to give me a simple answer to it, its just that all the blogs went from last week thats all gal. I might be simple but i can lift evy fings.

Pete :-)

EmJay profile image
EmJayPartner

Hey Pete, I shall be looking into this today to see what I can do to try and see that is shown on a regular basis at least. :-) Good idea!

jane58 profile image
jane5831 Months Winner

Just "liked" this on Facebook!

Andi1965 profile image
Andi19653 YEAR WINNER

Hey Emjay this is really good. I'm asthmatic so am able to measure my lung capacity at home. In the few weeks since I've smoked my lung capacity has gone up from 300-350 to 400! I' m really proud of myself each time it goes up and I think this is one of the things keeping me on the straight and narrow!

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

BENEFITS OF STOPPING SMOKING

Found this site which looked interesting. :- The Benefits of Stopping Smoking Stopping...
jillygirl profile image
Administrator

Effects on the Body After Quitting

Our lovely Emjay posted this a while ago, it might just help you to understand what your body is...
monky profile image
Administrator

WHY STOP SMOKING?

Some initial facts and figures About 100,000 people in the UK die each year due to smoking....
jillygirl profile image
Administrator

Is Vaping just you still smoking kind of?

Ok Alot of my friends/family have stopped smoking ciggarettes (yay I am so pleased they're not...

TUESDAY / DAILY CHAT/ 26/11/2013

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well today. All of our new members stick at it , stay positive....
jillygirl profile image
Administrator

Moderation team

See all
jillygirl profile image
jillygirlAdministrator
TheTabbyCat profile image
TheTabbyCatAdministrator
Briarwood profile image
BriarwoodAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.