How to Successfully Quit Smoking and Improve Your Health

In the current age of information, most people know that smoking seriously harms the health of individuals and those around them. Nevertheless, this does not make quitting any easier as breaking an addictive habit, often formed over a lifetime, remains one of the hardest things to do. Remember, no matter how long you have been a smoker for, quitting is worthwhile and will greatly improve your health. Below are a few suggestions to consider when you feel ready to give up cigarettes.

Your Health

Some smokers feel that quitting is futile because they have been doing for too long. The truth couldn’t be more different. The body has many regenerative processes that will kick in once you quit smoking, and some studies show that just twelve hours after quitting the carbon monoxide levels in your body will drop to normal, allowing your body to kick-start its healing process. Additionally, your risk of cancer will be lowered, and your breathing will improve so you can exercise or even just enjoy leisurely physical activities like weekend walks.

Consider Alternatives

Quitting ‘cold turkey’ works for a very small percentage of people whilst finding a transitional alternative that slowly breaks the habit seems to help many more. E-cigarettes can ease the transition by satisfying cravings whilst you get used to a life without cigarettes. The technology has really improved recently from the bulky and unsightly devices of yesterday to the sleek and discreet products currently on the market. Depending on which brand’s offerings you go for (there are many available) you won’t have to worry about hideous designs. A JUUL charger, for example, is a tiny magnetic device that charges through any USB port, so you can help fight the cravings any time.

Distract Yourself

Many smokers find that they need to at least temporarily replace the act of holding and smoking a cigarette with something else. This is a great time to take up or rediscover a new hobby; perhaps you used to enjoy cooking – well, chopping and mixing are great distractions, or maybe you’ve always wanted to take up knitting or try an adult colouring book. Providing your hands, and brain, with an external stimulus will ensure that you’re not constantly thinking about smoking and you may find that you actually enjoy doing new things in the process. Exercise is, of course, a fantastic activity to take up not just to help with quitting but with overall health. Why not try doing short ten-minute sets of full body exercises and see if you can make it an everyday habit.

Think of Savings

Smoking is really expensive but when it’s a lifelong habit the expense becomes easy to justify. A great way to shake up this belief is by using a smoking calculator that will help you work out exactly how much you can save by quitting. If there is something you always wanted to treat yourself to or a trip you thought was just too expensive to afford, then calculate how much you’ll save by not smoking for three, six, and twelve months – you will be astonished. You can even try transferring the cost of a cigarette packet to a separate/savings account every time you think about buying one and watch your savings grow, you’ll save up a very satisfying lump sum in no time at all.