Benefits
First few days
- It takes only a few minutes for your blood pressure and pulse to slow down.
- In 24 hours, your nicotine levels drop to zero.
- After several days the carbon monoxide in your body will drop to the same as someone who does not smoke.
1 - 5 Years
- Your risk of heart attack reduces significantly in 1 - 2 years of stopping smoking.
- Within 3 - 6 years of quitting smoking, your chances of coronary heart disease will drop to half.
- Within 5 - 10 years of quitting smoking, your risk of mouth, throat, and voice box cancer decreases by half and your additional risk of a stroke decreases.
10 - 20 Years
- Your risk of oesophageal, kidney and bladder cancer starts to decrease.
- In 10 - 15 years your risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker.
- In 15 years of your coronary heart disease risk is nearly equal to that of someone who has never smoked.
- After 20 years of not smoking the risk of mouth, throat, voice box and pancreatic cancer decreases to become similar to that of someone who does not smoke.
- The risk of cervical cancer in women is reduced to half, 20 years after quitting smoking.
Tips to help you stop smoking
When quitting smoking, you can be sure that the urge to continue will be there. Here are some tips to help you fight the urge and kick the habit.
Take a breather
When you feel the urge come on, take a few moments to pause, inhale some deep breaths and consume your mind with a memory or thought that makes you happy. The craving will soon dissipate.
Sip on some water
Water is needed for life, and it’s a great replacement for the harmful effects of cigarette smoke. Sip slowly on some cold water and ease your craving.
Keep your mouth busy
Replace the need for a cigarette in your mouth, by popping something else in its place. Think of sugar free gum or something healthy like carrot sticks to keep your mouth busy!
Keep yourself busy
Often, the urge to light a cigarette is really the need to have something in your hands. Replace the cigarette with a fidget spinner, stress ball, play a game on your phone or any other distraction.
Relaxation is key
Stress is often the reason smoking is started in the first place. Take the edge off with some relaxation techniques such as yoga, massage, or listening to calm music.
Remember why you started
Sometimes all you need to do is remember why you stopped smoking in the first place. Write down or repeat to yourself your unique reason to stop smoking.
Avoid your triggers
Smoking triggers are different for everyone. If you feel that alcohol ends in social smoking, consider steering clear. If stress is your trigger, consider techniques to reduce your stress levels.
Get active
Replace the poor habit of smoking with a healthy habit of exercise and activity. Choose walking, running, or simple exercises for office times to distract your mind from lighting a cigarette.
Head to a hobby
If physical activity is not for you, consider starting a new hobby or craft. Starting something you can take with you such as knitting, crochet or journaling.
Ask for help
It may sound like an obvious option, but often it’s the hardest to do. When the craving is not being released, pick up the phone and call a friend, or go for a walk with a colleague.
