Why stopping smoking

Smoking is a harmful habit that can lead to severe health complications and death. When a person quits smoking, the body will start to naturally heal and regain the vitality of a non-smoker over time. Some effects, such as lowered blood pressure, are seen almost immediately. Other effects, such as risks of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and lung disease, take years to drop down to the levels of a non-smoker.

However, each year of not smoking decreases risks and improves overall health, making quitting smoking an excellent choice for anyone who started the habit. There is no evidence that smoking lavender has any health benefits or that it is healthier than smoking tobacco. Learn more here. Many people believe vaping is a harmless alternative to smoking. However, research into the safety of vaping is still in its early stages. Learn what…. A recent review found that people who quit smoking had a greater reduction in anxiety, depression, and symptoms of stress than people who did not.

Learn about the causes of this condition and the…. Smoking changes both the physical characteristics and functioning of the lungs. Learn about the key differences between a smoker's lungs and healthy…. What happens after you quit smoking? Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. But after you quit, your body begins to heal within 20 minutes of your last cigarette.

The nicotine leaves your body within three days. As your body starts to repair itself, you may feel worse instead of better. Quitting can help you add years to your life. Smokers who quit before age 40 reduce their chance of dying too early from smoking-related diseases by about 90 percent.

Those who quit by age 45—54 reduce their chance of dying too early by about two-thirds. You can take control of your health by quitting and staying smokefree. But it will lower the levels of cholesterol and fats circulating in your blood, which will help to slow the buildup of new fatty deposits in your arteries.

Scarring of the lungs is not reversible. That is why it is important to quit smoking before you do permanent damage to your lungs. There is no cure for emphysema. But quitting when you are young, before you have done years of damage to the delicate air sacs in your lungs, will help protect you from developing emphysema later.

Cilia start to regrow and regain normal function very quickly after you quit smoking. They are one of the first things in your body to heal. People sometimes notice that they cough more than usual when they first quit smoking. This is a sign that the cilia are coming back to life. Quitting smoking will prevent new DNA damage from happening and can even help repair the damage that has already been done.

Quitting smoking immediately is the best way to lower your risk of getting cancer. Quitting smoking will reduce your belly fat and lower your risk of diabetes. If you already have diabetes, quitting can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check.

And if you hope to have children someday, quitting smoking right now will increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy in the future. If you quit smoking now, you can lower your chances of erectile dysfunction and improve your chances of having a healthy sexual life. When you quit smoking, your body will begin to heal from the injuries that smoking caused.

Eventually, your white blood cell counts will return to normal and will no longer be on the defensive. Quitting smoking will improve blood flow to wounds, allowing important nutrients, minerals, and oxygen to reach the wound and help it heal properly.

When you quit smoking, your immune system is no longer exposed to tar and nicotine. In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when you go for a walk or climb the stairs. Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier. You'll also give a boost to your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu.

The increase in oxygen in the body can also reduce tiredness and the likelihood of headaches. Read these self-help tips to fight fatigue. The withdrawal from nicotine between cigarettes can heighten feelings of stress. As the stress of withdrawal feels the same as other stresses, it's easy to confuse normal stress with nicotine withdrawal, so it can seem like smoking is reducing other stresses. But this is not the case. In fact, scientific studies show people's stress levels are lower after they stop smoking.

If you find that you're prone to stress, replacing smoking with a healthier, better way of dealing with stress can give you some real benefits. Read our top 10 stress busters to find out more. Stopping smoking improves the body's blood flow, so improves sensitivity.