Chart your success

Getting started on the road to quitting smoking can be a tough decision and even tougher to follow through. Letting your loved ones and friends who still smoke know that you are going to kick the habit is one of the best ways to get started. It may also help you stick with it if you spend more time around people who don’t smoke, or at least until you are able to overcome the urge.

As you already know, quitting smoking has numerous health benefits, and the good news is that some of these benefits kick in almost immediately. It just remains for you to follow through and let these benefits stay permanent.

From the time you decide to quit smoking and consciously resist the urge to light your cigarette:

• 20 minutes later your heart rate drops.
• 8 hours later the damage that has been caused to your body due to the 4000+ chemicals in cigarettes starts to reverse.
• 12 hours later the high levels of Carbon Monoxide in your blood drop to normal.
• 24 hours later you will find it easier to get a good night’s sleep.
• 48 hours later your body and mind start learning to manage stressful situations throughout the day without smoking.
• 8 days later your heart doesn’t have to work over time because of the high blood pressure and high heart rate caused by cigarettes. You will start finding it easier to exercise, climb the stairs, and go dancing without tiring so quickly.
• 2 weeks later the risk of getting a heart attack starts to lessen and your lungs start improving.
• 1 month later you will feel so much more healthy and satisfied with how far you’ve come. Additionally, you may be surprised at how much you have been able to save by not buying copious amounts of cigarettes.
• 6 weeks later you’re at a much lower risk of getting infections like pneumonia and bronchitis because of weak, unhealthy lungs.
• 10 weeks later your cravings for a “quick cigarette” should be much fewer and farther between.
• 1 to 9 months later your coughing and shortness of breath will improve.
• 1 year later your risk of coronary heart disease is halved.
• 5 years down the road your risk of getting a stroke is reduced to that other non-smokers.
• 10 years later your risk of dying from lung cancer is greatly reduced. Additionally the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, kidney, pancreas, and bladder is decreased.
• 15 years down the line your risk of coronary heart disease is back where it should be and the same as other non-smokers.