The First 2 Days After You Quit Smoking

The First 2 Days After You Quit Smoking Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit Print The First 2 Days After You Quit Smoking By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on January 19, 2020 Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD on January 19, 2020 Brand X Pictures/Stockbyte/Getty Images More in Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery When you quit smoking, the health benefits begin within minutes of your last cigarette. According to the Surgeon General, physical improvements in your body begin  within the first hour of smoking cessation. Your Body Within the First 2 Days of Quitting Smoking At 20 Minutes After Quitting Blood pressure decreases.Pulse rate drops.Body temperature of hands and feet increases. At 8Hours Smoke-Free Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.Oxygen level in blood increases to normal. At 24Hours Smoke-Free Chance of a heart attack decreases. At 48 Hours Smoke-Free Nerve endings start to regrow.Ability to smell and taste improves. Thats a lot of improvement for just 48 hours of smoking cessation. The Immediate Benefits of Quitting The chemicals in cigarettes affect you in more ways than you realize. When you quit and start to see changes in the discomforts youve been living with, like headaches, chronic sinus irritation,  and fatigue, for instance, you start to put two and two together.     Thats not to say that every physical ailment can be traced to tobacco use, but you will probably be pleasantly surprised at some of the changes that take place once you stop smoking. Best of all, this is just the beginning. You can look forward to many additional improvements in the days and months to come. Make the Decision to Quit and Stick to It It takes courage to put down that last cigarette and start smoking cessation. Most people feel an intense combination of fear and excitement leading up to their quit date. Feeling afraid to quit smoking is completely normal and is a by-product of nicotine  addiction. Dont let that fear paralyze you, however. Pick your quit date and stick to it. The benefits youll experience in the short and long term are well worth the work it takes to achieve. Breaking the Dependence Years of associating everything you  did in your life with  smoking created powerful links in the chain of psychological dependence you had on nicotine. You  thought  you enjoyed smoking.You convinced yourself that smoking calmed your nerves and helped you think more clearly.You thought of cigarettes as a friend, a companion, a buddy.You thought smoking helped you have more fun and enjoy life more fully. Logically, you  knew better, but addiction can make people rationalize and justify all kinds of crazy notions. You  (understandably) like the feeling of relief you get when the nicotine level in your bloodstream is replenished. From the time a cigarette is stubbed out until the next one is lit, smokers are in a state of physical withdrawal from nicotine. The more time between cigarettes, the more severe the withdrawal, resulting in edginess, inability to concentrate, and even feelings of depression. Its a vicious, never-ending cycle. That is an addiction, not smoking enjoyment. You dont think of smoking as enslaving and self-destructive when you first start, but over time addiction quietly teaches you that you are weak and powerless.  Most people want to stop long before they do. Support for Your Quit Program Support is a key ingredient to a solid quit smoking program. A  smoking cessation support forum  is a place to meet people who are going through what you are, or have been there and can offer constructive advice. Your resolve will be bolstered more  than you can imagine just by being around others who have the same goals you do. Remember that quitting tobacco is a process. It takes time. Your courage to take that first step and throw the butts away is a choice youll never regret making. Your life will improve a thousandfold when you have kicked tobacco out, once and for all. Youll have even more  benefits from two weeks to three months of quitting.