Quitting Smoking: Can The Body Recover Completely?
However, quitting smoking is always a good idea, even if only for a short period of time. In this article, therefore, I will attempt to explain the benefits and side effects of smoking cessation, and debunk some of the myths we hear all the time. So if you’re thinking about quitting, here’s what to expect.
The benefits of quitting smoking
When you stop smoking, many changes will occur in your body, and your health will begin to improve within minutes of quitting. With each year that you have not smoked, these benefits increase.
- A few minutes after you stop, your blood pressure and heart rate will begin to drop, increasing blood flow and improving circulation.
- About eight hours after you stop, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood begins to decrease and oxygen levels return to normal.
- Within the first 24-48 hours after stopping , your sense of smell and taste will begin to return to normal. All carbon monoxide is now out of your body. Bad breath from smoking disappears, as do the yellowish spots on the fingers.
- After two to twelve weeks, circulation and lung function have improved. Withdrawal symptoms begin to subside and you sometimes don’t think about a cigarette for hours.
- After one to nine months, symptoms such as coughing, nasal congestion, fatigue, and difficulty breathing begin to improve. Colds and asthma attacks are also less common.
- One year after stopping, your risk of cardiovascular disease is halved. Your risk of other diseases will also decrease further in the coming years.
- After five years, the risk of stroke is equal to that of a non-smoker. After ten years, your increased risk of lung cancer is halved and your risk of mouth, throat, esophagus, cervical and bladder cancer is reduced.
- After fifteen years, your risk of cardiovascular disease is equal to that of a non-smoker.
- Your skin also improves, because the aging process is slowed down. Your fertility will improve, and recovery from surgery will take less time because your circulation and oxygen supply will be improved.
In addition to all these health benefits, quitting smoking naturally also has financial benefits. Not only do you save money because you stop buying cigarettes, but you also reduce the risk of having to spend a lot of money on medication or incur other health-related costs.
Quitting Smoking: Negative Side Effects
As with any drug, smoking cessation has side effects and withdrawal symptoms, both physical and mental, that make the process unpleasant. Let’s discuss these.
An increase in anxiety is one of the most worrying symptoms. Smokers tend to say that smoking helps them relax, but this is actually not true, because nicotine, the main ingredient in cigarettes, has a stimulant effect.
So why is smoking relaxing? Because smoking takes a deep breath, just like with various relaxation techniques. So if you want to avoid feeling anxious after quitting smoking, practice relaxation techniques.
Another side effect that people fear is weight gain. However, quitting smoking does not necessarily mean weight gain. There are three reasons why people tend to gain weight after quitting: because they feel anxious and nervous, which can be resolved through breathing techniques; because they tend to smoke after every meal, when they quit an old habit is suddenly missing; or because digestion slows down now that the stimulant effect of nicotine is missing.
The third side effect is related to changes in mood. Mood swings and irritability are very common during smoking cessation. These symptoms are temporary, and will be present for only up to three months after stopping.
The fourth effect includes a range of physical symptoms, including constipation, nausea, cough, and headache. These symptoms are temporary and generally only appear in the first month. You experience these symptoms because your body is cleansing itself of the toxins that cigarette smoke carries.
Symptoms such as coughing and nausea often occur in the morning and are part of the cleansing of the respiratory system. We may experience constipation and headaches because digestive function diminishes as digestion slows down and blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain increase.
When you think about it, the negative side effects of quitting smoking are annoying, but they really don’t outweigh the benefits. After all, the side effects are only temporary and can even be avoided through proper diet and psychological techniques, such as deep breathing, targeted problem-solving techniques, and techniques to improve social skills. So don’t wait any longer, your health is at stake here!
Stumbling over the same stone over and over
