Our bodies are amazing! After years or even decades of smoking cigarettes, our bodies can make vast improvements when you kick the habit for good! And some of the positive changes can happen within 24 hours of putting out that last cigarette!
Your blood pressure and heart rate will begin to drop back to a steady level. As well, the fibres in the bronchial tubes which help to move bacteria and irritants will begin to start moving again.
Your heart will begin to repair itself – even after years of cigarette abuse. Even after just 1 day of not smoking, you are already reducing the risk of heart attack.
You should start to notice that you are breathing easier and starting to walk with more ease. This is due to the improvement in your circulation and oxygenation. In fact, your lung function can increase by up to 30% according to studies from the University of Michigan.
After one month of putting out your last cigarette, you should be experiencing a vast improvement to your overall levels of energy. You may also notice a reduction in your sinus congestion and shortness of breath when you are active.
Once you hit the 10 year mark of not smoking, your risk of dying of lung cancer will have reduced to that of a non-smoker! On top of that, the risk of other smoking-related diseases will also dramatically reduce!
If you are looking for a helping hand to help you quit smoking, there are some amazing Stop Smoking services that are available through the NHS. Explore some of the Support services below.
If you are ready to take your health in your own hands, replacing your damaging cigarette habit with a less harmful alternative like Nicotine Replacement Therapies or an E-Cigarette can be an great 1st step to living smoke-free. Public Health England suggest that “e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes” .