Quit Smoking Timeline

Quit Smoking Timeline
When you finally quit smoking, your entire body within 20 minutes senses not just the unpleasant results of quitting but the positive effects as well. Within just a couple of hours after you have quit, your system starts a process of recovery which will last for the succeeding years and will ultimately boost your general health.The thing is, once you reach the decision to quit your smoking habit, you do not necessarily see the health rewards as concrete concepts, but instead as abstract notions that may occur at whatever point in your distant future. The key is to understand the "quit smoking timeline", which will help you determine and monitor your bodys regenerative process. You may be surprised that many of these benefits can occur just hours after you quit smoking.First Two HoursWithin the first couple of hours once you quit smoking, your blood pressure levels and heart rate will decrease to normal levels. Additionally, your circulation significantly improves, and you might notice a warming sensation in your hands & feet.After Eight HoursCarbon monoxide is among the lethal substances contained in cigarette smoke. Thus, smokers have toxic levels of this substance in their blood. However, once you quit, the carbon monoxide in your blood starts to drop within just 8 hours. As your body's carbon monoxide decreases, your oxygen increases to optimal levels.Twenty-Four Hours AfterAt 24 hours after cleansing your body of cigarette smoke, your risk for cardiac arrest considerably decreases.After 48 HoursAt 48 hours in the timeline, you begin to experience the worst symptoms of withdrawal. A nervous regeneration becomes effective, initially reducing your sense of smell and taste, but then later improving them from this point forward.At 2-3 WeeksWithin 2-3 weeks after quitting, your circulation will show significant improvement. You'll be able to perform physical activities and strenuous exercises easily. Covering long distances on foot will no longer be a problem. The function of your lungs will also greatly improve, with coughing and phlegm reduced.At 1-9 MonthsLung regeneration happens in the next 1-9 months of your quit smoking timeline. The tiny cilia cells present in your lung structure start to develop and function again. You will experience a general improvement in your breathing, and your sinuses will become healthy once more. At this point, you will feel more alert and less tired.The 1 Year MarkIn about a year, your risk factor for cardiac disease or heart attack is decreased by 50% in comparison to when you were still smoking.In the Long RunIn the long term, here are some aspects to consider: After 5-15 years, you are still as much at risk of getting a stroke as someone who has not smoked in his/her entire life. After 10 years, you have a lesser risk of getting lung cancer or other types of cancer (e.g. pancreas, esophagus, bladder, kidneys, throat, mouth, etc.) that usually attack smokers. In 15 years, your risk of experiencing a heart problem (coronary disease or cardiac arrest) is reduced to the level of a nonsmoker.With this quit smoking timeline to guide you, you can more efficiently visualize your goals and thus make the decision to quit smoking easier and more bearable to make. 

Quit Smoking Timeline              

Published July 23rd, 2011

Tags: Quit, Smoking, Timeline