What Happens When You Quit Smoking?

So, what actually happens when you quit smoking? Well, the first things that most of us notice are the powerful cravings from our addiction to nicotine. These will vary from person to person, but it's normal to feel quite uncomfortable for a few weeks or months while your body is getting used to not having any nicotine. It's at this time that most ex-smokers start to smoke again - quitting smoking is a really tough game and there's no shame in trying again and again: in fact, it's a sign of your strength that you're willing to keep trying!

Once you stub out your last cigarette, several things will happen:

• Your blood pressure will return to normal after 20 - 30 minutes and your heart rate will also return to normal. After 8 hours the levels of Carbon monoxide (CO) and Oxygen (O2) in your blood will return to normal.

• 24 hours later and the risk of having a heart attack has already dropped. It's also at this point that the cravings can start to really affect you. This is where Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) comes in. These cravings can be incredibly powerful, and often willpower alone is not enough to battle them; NRT products like Nicotine Patches, Lozenges and Gum can double your chances of quitting for good.

• 48 hours later and your nerve endings will start to re-grow and you senses of smell and taste will start to improve. You may find at this point that you are having problems sleeping at night, which can leave you feeling tired and fed-up the next day - hardly the best frame of mind to be in when you're trying to deal with nicotine cravings all day too! If you're finding that sleep is a problem, then you should definitely look at using Nicontine Patches, which give 24 hour relief from the nicotine withdrawal symptoms as they continually release a slow, steady stream of nicotine into your body, even when you're asleep.

• Over the next few weeks and months you'll find that your circulation improves and your breathing will be easier.

• Over the next 9 months you will see your sinuses start to clear, you stop coughing and your breathing improves further. Your lungs should also be much better equipped to deal with infection and you should really start to notice an increase in your energy levels.

• After 1 year, your risk of heart disease has halved.

• After 5 years, if you smoked about 20 cigarettes per day, your risk of dying from lung cancer will have halved. Your risk of getting mouth or throat cancer is also halved.

• After 10 years, your risk of dying from lung cancer is similar to that of someone who has never smoked.

• After 15 years, your risk of heart disease is the same as that of someone who has never smoked.