NO MORE SMOKING! TIPS ON QUITTING&BENEFITS!

Top Tips to Quit Smoking

Choose a smoking quit date and stick to it
List your own reasons for quitting.

Choose a "low stress" time to quit. 
Set a date and stick to it.

Build a support network around you. Ask for help from your dentist, doctor, family, friends, work colleagues.

Use medicines that help your body get used to life without nicotine: they can double your chances of quitting for good. Ask your doctor, dentist, pharmacist about them first.

Seek tobacco-free environments to curb your temptations: eg movies, theatres, libaries, restaurants.

Plan activities that leave no opportunity for smoking.

Remove smoking paraphernalia from your home, office and car.

Anticipate problems and have a realistic plan to deal with challenges (eg if going out with smokers, practise what you are going to say when you refuse a cigarette).

Exercise: not only can it make you feel better about yourself and your decision to quit, it is hard to smoke when you're cycling, swimming, or jogging.

Keep your hands occupied. Take up some manual activities: woodworking, gardening, do the housework, keep some needlework or a small book of puzzles or crosswords with you.

Practise the 4Ds when you feel cravings coming on: Delay (craving will pass in 5 to 10 minutes); Drink water(helps wash toxins from your body, keeps your hands and mouth busy); Distract yourself (keep active, do something else); Deep breathing (inhaling and exhaling deeply is soothing and relaxing).

Benefits of stopping smoking

Your breath won't smell any more of stale tobacco.
The smell of stale tobacco will also go from your clothes, hair, and home.
Foods and drinks taste and smell much better.
Finances improve. You will save well over £2,000 per year if you smoked 20 a day.
Better rates of insurance policies.
You are likely to feel good about yourself.

You quit smoking.

20 Minutes

Your heart rate drops.

8 Hours

The damage caused by the 4000+ chemicals in cigarettes starts to reverse.

12 Hours

The Carbon Monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

24 Hours

You may find it easier to sleep.

48 Hours

Congratulations - you’re starting to learn to manage stress without smoking.

8 Days

Because your blood pressure and heart rate have decreased, your heart isn’t working as hard. You may find it easier to climb the stairs.

2 Weeks

Your heart attack risk begins to drop. Your lung function begins to improve.

1 Month

You may be surprised how much you’ve already saved on cigarettes.

6 Weeks

Your risk of infections like pneumonia and bronchitis decreases.

10 Weeks

Your cravings should be much fewer and farther between.

1 to 9 Months

Your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 Year

Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

5 Years

Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker’s 5-15 years after quitting.

10 Years

Your lung cancer death risk is about half that of a smoker’s. Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

15 Years

Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker’s.