If you stop smoking right now what positive side effects and health benefits will you experience? The answer may seem surprising to many. Within just a few minutes of putting out your very last cigarette there are some physical and mental changes that start to occur. For many individuals the mental addiction is the most difficult component to overcome with these products, and the intense cravings are very hard to resist at times. This is the reason that many may give up their cessation efforts and go back to the habit once more.
One of the biggest benefits of stopping all tobacco use affects your cardiovascular system. After only 20-30 minutes without any use your heart rate and blood pressure will go down. High blood pressure and an accelerated heart rate are both risk factors for stroke, coronary events, and other devastating conditions. Tobacco use contributes to many thousands of deaths, and millions of debilitating medical problems every year.
Nicotine withdrawal from quitting is reported as being a problem, but there are methods that can be used to deal with these symptoms quickly and effectively. One health benefit that you will get fairly soon after you engage in that last smoke is an increase in your circulation. Your blood can travel through the body better, and this means more circulation to your extremities. Smokers often experience cold and tingling in their hands and feet due to restricted circulation caused by tobacco products. When you stop then this starts to reverse, and blood flow is restored.
The level of both oxygen and carbon monoxide in your bloodstream will start to return to normal within 8-12 hours, and your risk of heart related diseases and conditions will start to go down as well. After the initial 24 hour period tissue and cellular repairs are already being performed by your body. Within 48 hours you will start to notice that regeneration in your nerve endings have already started, and your sense of touch and feel begin to get better.
Initially you may start to feel worse before you feel better. As your body and systems try to clean out all of the accumulated toxins and other substances caused by tobacco use you may develop a cough, and you may have a big increase in the quantity of phlegm that you produce. Phlegm is the body’s way of removing undesired compounds and substances, so this is actually beneficial even though you may cough more frequently.
