Although there is no magic formula for quitting smoking, many smokers and relatives of smokers wonder about the real and verifiable benefits of quitting smoking. Often poorly known and even underestimated, these benefits are nevertheless extremely numerous and some of them appear even after only a few days of quitting!
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The physical benefits that flow from a complete cessation of cigarette can be classified into different categories according to their time of onset and the parts of the body involved. Although it can be very difficult to operate for heavy smokers, the results are clear: definitive tobacco weaning positively affects the whole body. Overview of the benefits of a tobacco free life about health.
Stopping smoking: the short-term benefits for the body
The benefits that are the fastest to appear after smoking cessation can also be the most motivating, since they are felt after only a few tens of minutes! After only 30 minutes of weaning:
- blood pressure decreases;
- the heart rate returns to normal;
- the temperature of the extremities of the body increases until reaching their temperature of origin.
After a few hours without smoking, these are the nicotine level and carbon monoxide present in the blood which decrease drastically. The cells then regain their natural level of oxygenation.
A smoker who has quit for 24 to 72 hours may see even more positive effects, such as:
- improved taste and smell;
- breathing that becomes fuller and more comfortable;
- energy to spare.
These latter benefits can be explained by the expulsion of nicotine from the body, the rejection of smoke residues through the lungs and the regeneration of nerve endings.
The positive effects on muscles and joints
Tobacco use is likely to weaken bones and slow muscle recovery… Stop smoking therefore reduces the risk of developing bone and vascular diseases, while reducing the risk of muscle tears and inflammation.
However, joint or muscle pain, such as knee pain, can be felt a few days after quitting smoking. The body eliminates toxins and cleans itself naturally, which can cause this type of pain for only a few days.
Stop smoking to reduce the risk of serious illnesses
Some of the inherent benefits of quitting cigarette take a little longer to show up. However, they have a very positive impact on the general health of an individual!
After a year without smoking, the risk of stroke equals that of a non-smoker and that of suffering a myocardial infarction is reduced by half. Five years later, lung recovery halves the risk of lung cancer.
10 to 20 years after quitting smoking, the risk of developing other cancers (mouth, bladder, throat, etc.) decreases considerably and life expectancy approaches that of people who have never smoked.
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