Many people think that it will not work to improve health and restore the body after long-term use of nicotine. People don't give up on a bad habit and aggravate the addiction. Medicine, however, states that a person who quits smoking benefits from just one hour after the last cigarette.
Changes after quitting smoking
The body has an extraordinary capacity for self-healing. As soon as the poisonous tar, nicotine ceases to enter the body, the cleansing of damaged tissues begins. For a month without cigarettes, the brain rebuilds itself, breaking the cycle of addiction.
The first few hours
Just 20 minutes after the last cigarette smoked, blood pressure, heart rate, hand and foot temperature return to normal. The concentration of carbon monoxide decreases, oxygen enters the blood, tissues and blood vessels are nourished. After 8 hours, the amount of nicotine left in the blood is reduced to 6. 25% of the normal daily level, which is 93. 75% less.
After 12 hours, blood oxygen returns to normal and carbon monoxide decreases. The heart beats more gently, the risk of an attack is halved. The person rejoices at the decision made, the mood rises.
Birthmarks appear rarely, only for 2-3 minutes, and it's easy to get distracted.
The first day
The activity of the recovery processes increases every day:
- Nicotine levels are reduced to negligible amounts.
- The heart rate is stabilized. The veins and arteries do not have spasms.
- The gustatory and olfactory sensations become more acute.
- After three days, the volume of the lungs increases. The bronchi are released.
- The tone of the blood vessels is restored.
- The internal organs are gradually renewed.
- By the fourth day, blood flow to the brain returns to normal.
- On the sixth day, the dark mucus is cleared. Inflammation of the nerve endings is relieved.
In the first days, physiological changes are very active, the body is rapidly getting rid of poisons. Against this background, dizziness, ringing in the ears, blood pressure spikes appear. The psychological state changes every day from euphoria to irritability, crying, insomnia, pangs of hunger or refusal to eat, headaches.
Quitting smoking suddenly isn't as hard as living the first week without cigarettes. By overcoming this barrier, the chances of getting rid of the addiction increase significantly.
First weeks
Physical addiction to tobacco ends on the seventh day. The body begins to function fully and normally without a nicotine supplement. Emotionally, a person feels devastated right now.
Smoking is not a physiological need, but a common daily ritual.
In the following two or four weeks, thanks to the improvement of blood circulation, the quality of life changes considerably:
- Shortness of breath practically disappears. Lung function increased by 30%.
- Sporting endurance increases.
- Vision and hearing are improving.
- Chronic cough stops.
- The cells of the stomach, pancreas and intestines are renewed.
- The overall energy level increases.
- The immune system is strengthened.
A year later
The decision to quit smoking will completely change your life.
There is an influx of energy, health improves:
- The second month: the cells will be renewed 2-3 times.
- Third, the blood vessels will be restored.
- Fourth, the skin will change, the internal organs will return to normal, they will become like those of non-smokers.
- Fifth: liver regeneration occurs.
- Sixth: the blood will be completely renewed, breathing will become much easier, the muscles will be stronger.
The processes continue until the end of the year, bringing positive changes in all areas. Within a few months, the chances of erectile dysfunction decrease and the chances of a healthy sex life, regardless of gender, increase.
Smoking thins the cerebral cortex. There are issues with decision making, risk, lack of control over one's condition, early dementia, and 14% of Alzheimer's disease cases worldwide. Quitting smoking immediately is the correct conclusion. In 11 months without smoke, the bark thickens and the quality of thoughts, decisions and actions improves.
After a year, the body will fully recover. The risk of stroke will be 30-35%. The likelihood of a heart attack will be halved. The risk of cancer, liver disease will decrease by 90%.
The consequences of suddenly quitting smoking
Quitting smoking abruptly does not always mean putting a lot of stress on the human psyche and body. When the "smoky" experience is short, the separation will pass peacefully, if it is long, then difficulties will certainly appear.
Quitting smoking after the age of 50 is more difficult due to chronic diseases. After overcoming addiction at this age, there is a chance to increase the length and quality of life.
For the appearance
The fears of gaining excess weight are justified, because the refusal of nicotine causes pangs of hunger, cravings for sweets. These phenomena are disappearing. Proper nutrition helps get rid of the gained pounds. Tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflowers, potatoes contain a percentage of nicotine. These vegetables will help reduce the craving for tobacco, lose weight and will not harm health.
For internal organs
- Immunity loses a stimulant, becomes depressed. At first, it is quite possible to catch a cold or catch a virus.
- Cough - poisons do not enter, do not envelop the walls of the lungs and bronchi and sputum discharge, deep rales intensify. Attacks are more frequent. They are associated with cleaning the pulmonary system from resins. Sometimes the process speaks of inflammation, and it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor.
- Vertigo - constantly spasmodic vessels begin to expand and give such a reaction.
- Intestine - there is a restructuring, a renewal of the mucous membrane, so the stool is disturbed.
For well-being
Headache, muscle spasms associated with internal organs, appear in the first stage and soon disappear. Work capacity, memory, ability to concentrate deteriorate, drowsiness or insomnia occurs. These symptoms are normal for a nicotine-free regimen. The reason is a surge of oxygen and the body "doesn't know" what to do with it.
For the mood
Irritability, anxiety, depression, aggression accumulate due to the loss of habitual pleasure. These phenomena last from several days to a week, disappear over time.
Nicotine withdrawal syndrome
All that torments in the initial stage, when a person has decided to abruptly quit smoking, is called abstinence. This is a severe deficiency of constantly received substances, an attempt by the body to restore balance.
The syndrome appears shortly after the last cigarette.
It lasts from several days to two to three months, gradually weakening:
- Breathing becomes difficult, shortness of breath appears, cough intensifies.
- The feces are upset, the appetite is disturbed, there are unpleasant taste sensations in the oral cavity. Food becomes disgusting, constantly nauseous.
- Hands are shaking, a person sweats, does not sleep, worries, gets irritated. Attention and memory are lost.
- The duration of the syndrome depends on how many years a person has been a smoker, how many cigarettes they have used per day.
The psychological attitude is important: if it is decisive, then there is little abstinence. When forced, the symptoms will be severe, prolonged.
What to do:
- Persevere, exercise moderation.
- Use special preparations.
- Avoid smoking companies.
- Walk more.
- Engage in hard work.
- Change your diet. Give up alcohol.
- Increase physical activity.
- Read helpful literature.
If you feel like a breakdown is approaching, you can't do it - see a doctor. He will prescribe drugs.
What happens if you start smoking again?
Health problems will emerge quickly. Taking a break from tobacco use had a beneficial effect on the functioning of all systems within the body. It stopped the development of diseases caused by long-term consumption of nicotine. If an experienced rehabilitated smoker picks up the old again, the problems will pick up with a vengeance, they will become irreversible.
After starting to smoke after a break, people in a very short time increase their tobacco consumption two to three times and are unable to quit. Here's how all dependencies work.