Quitting Smoking Timeline

Kicking the habit can be a big step in your life, quitting smoking can be an arduous and tedious process but it does require will power, determination and commitment but the outcome can be very rewarding.

At any point you make changes within your body, your body will react to this change, so this is why when quitting smoking your body will feel the effects of you quitting.

The side effects of quitting smoking cover a variety of physical and mental obstacles, if you are seriously thinking of quitting smoking then here are the benefits of doing so:

• In the first 20 minutes - Within these first 20 minutes of you quitting smoking your heart rate and blood pressure return to a normal state.
• In 8 hours - Carbon monoxide and nicotine in your blood stream are greatly reduced in turn reducing the risk of heart attack, the oxygen levels in your blood stream also returns to a normal state.
• In 24 hours - The chances of heart attack are again reduced as the body has eliminated all carbon monoxide and nicotine, your nerve endings re grown leading a better sense of smell and taste.
• In 48 hours - There is an decline in lung damage and the risk of lung cancer comes to an end.
• In 72 hours - Your breathing returns to normal as the bronchial tubes begin to relax.
• After 2 weeks - Your lung function up to 30% more efficient resulting in better blood circulation, walking becomes easier. At this stage in quitting smoking you'll start to feel the withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and headaches this is why anti depression drugs work well in quitting smoking.
• Between 1 and 9 months - Your appearance changes as your skin loses it's pale color and wrinkles subside. Coughing, shortness of breath and tiredness also decrease. The cilia (the hairs lining your lungs) start to function correctly and start cleaning the lungs by removing any mucus from the lungs walls and there reducing the risk of infection.
• After 1 year - The risk of smoking related heart problems is half of what it was 1 year ago when you decided to quit smoking.
• After 10 years - Your risk of lung cancer and heart attack are that of a non-smoker, and the general risk of cancer is decreased dramatically. 

Quitting smoking is always going to be a challenge whatever method you use, the end results are however the goal you need to set yourself they will be the most rewarding of them all, not too mention that you can save some money quitting smoking too.

It's also important that the after effects of quitting smoking are only temporary.