Exclusive
QUIT IT
Exactly what happens to your body in the hours, days, weeks, months and years after you stop smoking
Plus, we reveal 9 simple tips to help you kick the habit for good - including a free pill dubbed the 'Ozempic for smoking'
SMOKING harms every organ in the body.
It ravages the lungs, damages the heart, and disrupts circulation, so it's no surprise it's the leading cause of preventable death in the UK.
2
Quitting isn't easy. And the knowledge that it won't be a straightforward task can mean we hesitate in kicking the habit for good.
But it really is one of the best things you can do for your health.
In fact, the benefits can surface in as little as 60 minutes, but they last a lifetime.
Dr Cheryl Lythgoe, matron and advanced Nurse Practitioner at , has revealed exactly what happens to the body when we stop smoking.
Read more on smoking
She tells Sun Health: "While things like alcohol come with recommended daily amounts, smoking doesn’t.
"In fact, the recommended daily number of cigarettes is none, and for good reason.
"The benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the consequences, but even then, it’s important to understand the immediate physical and mental health symptoms when you do quit."
So if you're thinking of throwing out your ciggies, here's exactly what to expect in the days, weeks, months and years that follow.
Most read in Health
2
1 hour
In the first hour after swearing off smoking, your pulse rate and blood pressure will start to reduce, Dr Lythgoe says.
But the craving for another cigarette might sneak up on you pretty quickly, so you may experience irritability and trouble concentrating.
Risk factors for cancer you need to know
4 to 8 hours
Now a few hours into your no-smoke challenge, your oxygen levels should be recovering.
The harmful levels of carbon monoxide will be reduced by about half, according to Dr Lythgoe.
12 hours
It's been about half a day since you stubbed out your last cigarette and you may be feeling sad and restless as the physical craving for another takes hold.
"But these feelings won't last forever," Dr Lythgoe says.
"Though you may feel a temporary relief if you smoke again, studies show depression and stress levels are lower when people stop smoking." So stick at it!
24 hours
A day in, you may notice yourself becoming even more irritable and anxious.
"Please remember this is a temporary effect," the nurse practitioner says.
"Overall, it’s proven that mood, stress, anxiety and depression improve after stopping smoking."
2 to 3 days
After two or three days, all the carbon monoxide should be flushed out of your system, and your levels should drop to that of a non-smoker.
Your lungs will also be clearing out the mucus and your sense of taste and smell will be improving.
But you may notice your appetite increases as you mistake cigarette cravings for hunger pangs.
4 to 5 days
After four or five days, your breathing becomes easier as your bronchial tubes start to relax, according to Dr Lythgoe.
On top of that, you may feel your energy levels rising.
5 to 7 days
After you've completed a week without smoking, your body no longer craves nicotine.
Dr Lythgoe says: "Now it is a case of ‘mind over matter’ and to stop smoking for good."
2 weeks
Two weeks in, your circulation will have significantly improved.
"And as blood pumps through your heart and muscles much more efficiently, you will see an increase in your physical energy levels," Dr Lythgoe adds.
1 month
One of the hallmarks of being a smoker is the persistent cough that plagues you throughout the year.
"You may notice that your persistent cough, feelings of breathlessness or the annoying wheeze will reduce as there is an improvement in your lung health," the health expert says.
3 months
At three months, your lung function will have increased by 10 per cent.
1 year
If you make it a year without smoking, well done!
Your risk of heart disease and suffering a heart attack will decrease by 50 per cent, according to Dr Lythgoe.
10 years
Now multiply that by 10, which is no mean feat!
After a decade without cigarettes, the likelihood of you dying from lung cancer is 50 per cent lower compared to a smoker.
Your risk of other health complications, like stroke and diabetes, is also reduced.
Tips to quit smoking
- List your reasons to quit.
- Tell people you're quitting.
- If you have tried to quit before, remember what worked.
- Use stop smoking aids.
- Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke.
- List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them.
- Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy.
- Exercise away the urge.
- Join the Facebook group for support and advice.
Source: NHS
There are numerous techniques used to quit smoking - from patches to gum.
Last year, an anti-smoking drug that could double your chances of quitting was made available on the NHS.
A study found that smokers were more than twice as likely to give up tobacco when taking cytisine tablets compared to placebo pills.
Researchers also found cytisine was more effective than nicotine replacement therapies like patches and vapes.
The medicine isn't new, but it recently gained regulatory approval in the UK and became available via prescription on the NHS from January 2024.
Dr Richard Russell, consultant chest physician and clinical reader in respiratory medicine at King’s College London, called it "a major advancement in our efforts to assist smokers in quitting".
He added: "It provides a new hope for many who have struggled to quit smoking in the past and a clear next step for healthcare professionals helping them.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"This is a positive step towards improving the health outcomes of smokers and reducing the burden of smoking-related diseases."
Dad-of-five and pub DJ Tony Murphy finally kicked his 20-a-day habit after 45 years thanks to the pill, dubbed the 'Ozempic for smoking'. You can read his full story here.
The truth about smoking
ONE in eight people in the UK smokes.
And yet it's the biggest cause of death and disease that we can control.
About half of life-long smokers will die early, losing about 10 years of life on average.
The most common smoking-related causes of death are: lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and coronary heart disease.
But it is linked to all sorts of other conditions, from heart attacks and strokes to diabetes and depression.
Smoking harms every organ in the body, which is why it accounts for approximately 74,600 deaths every year in England alone.
It kills more people annually than having a high BMI, alcohol and drugs combined.
Around 506,100 NHS hospital admissions in people over the age of 35 are attributable to smoking, accounting for four per cent of all hospital admissions in this age group.
Smoking also costs the NHS in England about £1.9billion a year.
Source: Action on Smoking
Topics
