Every smoker must be aware by now of the adverse health risks associated with smoking and therefore the benefits of quitting smoking. But do you know that some of these benefits can be seen the very day you quit? While the improvement to your overall health may take a bit of time, there are a few little things that you will notice right away.
Smoking risks your health and longevity in many ways. Smokers risk having asthma, emphysema, various cancers, blindness, heart disease, nerve and blood vessel damage, problems with the teeth, nails and hair. People close to a smoker are affected by their smoking, not only with the damage to their own health, but also with being faced with the worry for the health of the smoker.
However, just because you know its bad for your health doesn't mean it is any easier to quit. Many smokers put off trying to quit because of the symptoms of withdrawal they fear. The good news is that there is recent research that has proven the health benefits of quitting start to be experienced within a short time of quitting.
This is the time-line of early benefits: within only a half hour of quitting, your heart beat slows and your blood pressure decreases. Wow! Just 8 hours after quitting, your blood carbon monoxide returns to a normal level. After just 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack has already decreased a small amount. How cool is that? You've already improved your health immensely within the first day and if that's not enough incentive to keep you from lighting up again, I don't know what is!
And, it's not just the first 24 hours that will see improvements, either.
48 hours after quitting, you will notice your sense of smell and taste returning, and some relief from the shortness of breath. The damaged nerve endings are also starting to renew. 2 weeks after quitting you will notice your chronic cough and sinus problems have lessened, and shortness of breath has improved even more during this time. At this time also, your circulation and lung function start to improve as will your endurance for physical exertion. You may notice that you don't get out of breath when climbing stairs and you will be able to keep up with your exercise routine much easier.
The risk of having a heart attack reduces by half that of a smoker, after twelve months of being a non-smoker. It may take 10 years for the increased risk of cancer to reduce fully, and 15 years before all risk categories return to normal, but it is very encouraging that you will be able to notice the benefits of quitting smoking so soon after you stop smoking.
Smoking risks your health and longevity in many ways. Smokers risk having asthma, emphysema, various cancers, blindness, heart disease, nerve and blood vessel damage, problems with the teeth, nails and hair. People close to a smoker are affected by their smoking, not only with the damage to their own health, but also with being faced with the worry for the health of the smoker.
However, just because you know its bad for your health doesn't mean it is any easier to quit. Many smokers put off trying to quit because of the symptoms of withdrawal they fear. The good news is that there is recent research that has proven the health benefits of quitting start to be experienced within a short time of quitting.
This is the time-line of early benefits: within only a half hour of quitting, your heart beat slows and your blood pressure decreases. Wow! Just 8 hours after quitting, your blood carbon monoxide returns to a normal level. After just 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack has already decreased a small amount. How cool is that? You've already improved your health immensely within the first day and if that's not enough incentive to keep you from lighting up again, I don't know what is!
And, it's not just the first 24 hours that will see improvements, either.
48 hours after quitting, you will notice your sense of smell and taste returning, and some relief from the shortness of breath. The damaged nerve endings are also starting to renew. 2 weeks after quitting you will notice your chronic cough and sinus problems have lessened, and shortness of breath has improved even more during this time. At this time also, your circulation and lung function start to improve as will your endurance for physical exertion. You may notice that you don't get out of breath when climbing stairs and you will be able to keep up with your exercise routine much easier.
The risk of having a heart attack reduces by half that of a smoker, after twelve months of being a non-smoker. It may take 10 years for the increased risk of cancer to reduce fully, and 15 years before all risk categories return to normal, but it is very encouraging that you will be able to notice the benefits of quitting smoking so soon after you stop smoking.
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