Smoking increases your risk of cancer, lung diseases, heart attacks and strokes as well as low estrogen levels. When you give up smoking, your lungs and blood vessels begin to heal themselves; nerve endings regenerate themselves and your sense of taste and smell may improve as a result of quitting smoking.
Smoking also has the adverse affect of prematurely aging the skin, increasing wrinkles and discolorations. Once you stop smoking, your complexion should become significantly improved as blood circulation to your skin increases.
1. You’ll Look Younger
Few are unaware that smoking accelerates skin aging. By depriving our bodies of essential vitamins like Vitamin C – essential for producing collagen to keep skin firm and prevent wrinkles – smoking depletes vital resources necessary for producing it, thus hastening wrinkles and sagging. When we quit smoking our vitamin C levels quickly return to normal while collagen production decreases, giving you more years of looking younger for longer.
Smoking accelerates the aging process by staining fingertips, nails and teeth with nicotine residue. Smokers are more likely to experience gum disease, persistent bad breath and yellowing of teeth than nonsmokers; when they quit smoking these symptoms will vanish as will their fingertips and hands becoming free from discolored stains; in addition, your breath will smell fresher!
At some point in life, everyone will develop wrinkles. Smokers often develop deeper and quicker-forming wrinkles from puckering for cigarettes; smoke irritates skin further making it dry and flakey; chemical compounds in cigarette smoke can trigger formation of MMP-1 (metalloproteinase MMP-1) which breaks down collagen, decreasing skin elasticity. When you stop smoking your complexion will improve dramatically as circulation improves to bring oxygen closer to outer layers of skin cells and boost circulation levels delivering oxygen directly into the outer layers.
Smoking damages the hair by stripping it of moisture, leading to dull, lifeless locks that contribute to grayish appearances. Smokers also are at an increased risk for developing psoriasis – an autoimmune condition in which thick, scaly patches of skin develop on knees, elbows, scalp and hands – however when they stop smoking their locks will grow healthier while their skin regain its original hues.
2. You’ll Feel Younger
Smoking accelerates aging by damaging the lungs, making it harder to breathe, and increasing your risk for heart disease. Once you stop smoking, however, your lungs and respiratory system start repairing themselves – you’ll find you cough less frequently and experience fewer asthmatic symptoms than when smoking was still part of your routine. After one year of quitting smoking, your lungs will experience tremendous health improvements. Physical activities, such as walking and running will become easier while breathing will become improved; you won’t tire as easily from physical exertion. Your clothes and breath may also smell better as a result of quitting smoking, as smoking damages nerve endings that control smell and taste, leading to stronger senses as these nerves heal themselves. Blood circulation improves as the lungs stop producing extra mucus and phlegm, meaning oxygen reaches all parts of your body more readily.
Quitting smoking will improve both your physical health and sense of well-being, making you feel younger in no time. Your risk for cancer, lung diseases, heart attacks and stroke will decrease while your blood pressure stabilizes; additionally you’ll get sick less frequently while wounds heal faster. Smoking also makes pregnancy harder by increasing miscarriage risk or risk of giving birth prematurely – another benefit!
Smoking depletes skin of essential nutrients, particularly vitamin C. After quitting smoking, however, your skin will appear more vibrant and healthy, with wrinkles and sagging caused by smoking significantly diminished as lung tissue produces normal amounts of collagen which gives skin its youthful look. In addition, your natural ability to regulate blood sugar improves and is less likely to lead to type 2 diabetes in later years.
3. You’ll Be More Active
Smoking reduces energy levels, so quitting will make it easier to become active again. Within 20 minutes of quitting cigarettes, blood pressure and heart rate will return to their baseline levels after nicotine-induced spikes had subsided; days later carbon monoxide levels return to normal; several weeks after quitting circulation and lung function begin to improve, as coughing decreases, shortness of breath diminishes, healthy fibers form in lungs to help decrease mucus buildup, and help fight infection; ultimately over time your risk for heart disease and stroke also declines significantly!
Once you quit smoking, your nerves responsible for smell and taste begin to heal quickly, making food taste better almost immediately. After several weeks have passed, exercise becomes more enjoyable while breathing becomes simpler as your bronchial tubes relax more freely to allow oxygen more freely reach muscles and other body tissues, thus aiding peak performance during physical activity.
Giving up tobacco reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes dramatically, which is vital as this condition can lead to heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and limb loss. Furthermore, smoking increases male risk for erectile dysfunction while decreasing fertility levels among female smokers.
Many smokers rely on smoking to manage stress. When quitting smoking, finding new ways of managing it such as exercise, meditation or spending time with friends will be helpful for long-term wellbeing and energy levels. If you need assistance quitting, visit a doctor or counselor and inquire about smoking cessation programs in your area, including tools like medicines that reduce urge to smoke; nicotine replacement gums; lozenges; patches and sprays can all provide tools that may aid quitting. Finally, dispose of all ashtrays, lighters etc and devise a plan to replace smoking with healthier activities instead.
4. You’ll Save Money
Not only can quitting smoking save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year, it will improve your lifestyle considerably. Your clothes, hair and breath will all smell fresher without the worry of nicotine-induced stains on teeth and fingernails; plus you’ll be freer to engage in physical activities without needing a smoke break break every 15 minutes or so!
Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, both your blood pressure and heart rate return to normal, as do the cilia in your lungs which start working again to clear away dust and mucus from your lungs. After only one month without smoking, skin tone improves considerably with less wrinkles appearing than previously. Within one year your risk of heart disease will have decreased by half while after 10 years your risk of lung cancer becomes comparable with someone who never smoked at all.
Smoking can lead to an array of health complications, from osteoporosis and chronic respiratory diseases (brochitis, pneumonia, asthma and meningitis) to more minor ones like ear and chest infections in your children. Furthermore, smoking is one of the primary contributing factors behind diabetes; left untreated it can even prove fatal.
Quitting smoking will reduce hidden costs for individuals, families and health care systems alike – as well as increase work productivity – with savings being an excellent motivator when you feel tempted to pick up a pack. Use this cost calculator to see just how much extra money could be in your wallet each year; you might be amazed how quickly that extra cash accumulates! Some former smokers have even used their savings towards taking an exciting trip or buying their dream home!
5. You’ll Have More Energy
Quitting smoking will give you more energy by increasing the flow of oxygen through your body, making physical activities less tiring and increasing enjoyment from meals. Your senses of smell and taste will return to normal too – making food even more pleasurable!
Cilia (tiny hair-like structures that help clean your lungs) begin to rebuild themselves, helping reduce excess mucus and phlegm that causes coughing. Over time, your lung function could improve by as much as 10% and could reduce heart disease risk as well as respiratory conditions like pneumonia and bronchitis.
Your ability to exercise more easily and breathe easier will improve, while your immune system will strengthen and make you less likely to get sick. With more energy to enjoy what you love and spend time with loved ones, sleep may also become easier – although initial signs may include an increase in fatigue as your body adjusts.
When feeling the urge to smoke, try remembering why you chose to quit and focusing on those reasons instead of smoking. Do something relaxing like taking a walk, meditating or practicing deep breathing; perhaps even find something new like art therapy! Each time you successfully resist an urge to smoke will get easier as cravings will diminish over time. Additionally, sugar-free gum or mints, carrot sticks or hard candy could help alleviate oral fixation by satisfying cravings in your mouth – something which could make quitting much simpler in its initial weeks of absence!
