STOPPING SMOKING
Our health writer, Jackie Mitchell, looks at the benefits.
THE body starts recovering immediately after a person stops smoking. After 20 minutes, the pulse rate returns to normal, and after eight hours oxygen levels return to normal and carbon monoxide levels in the blood reduce by half.
Within three days, carbon monoxide is almost eliminated from the body, lungs begin to clear, the sense of taste and smell improve and energy levels increase.
Within 12 weeks, the body’s circulation improves, and by three to nine months, the lung function increases significantly, easing coughing, wheezing and breathing problems.
“When a person stops smoking, they see benefits within a few months,” Amy Murgatroyd from Action on Smoking and Health says.
“Life expectancy increases regardless of age. People who quit after a heart attack reduce the chances of another by fifty per cent.”
In addition, stopping smoking reduces the risk of 15 types of cancers including lung, oesophageal, bladder, bowel and pancreatic.
“It also reduces the risk of lung and circulatory conditions, including heart attack, stroke, COPD, chronic bronchitis, diabetes and vascular dementia.
“If you’re already sick, stopping smoking improves the outcome of treatments,” Amy explains.
Crucially, the risk of having a heart attack compared to someone who has never smoked decreases by half within one year of quitting.
“Tobacco use is one of the leading risks of heart or circulatory problems such as angina, heart attacks and heart disease.
“Smoking damages the lining of the arteries and can cause them to clog up, but stopping smoking can reverse this damage.”
In addition to the physical health benefits, quitting smoking improves mental wellbeing and saves money.
“Smoking cessation has been shown to improve mental wellbeing with an effect equivalent to anti-depressant medication,” Amy says.
“This effect is likely linked to something called the ‘withdrawal cycle’. This means the brain is prone to fluctuating moods through a constant cycle of nicotine intake and withdrawal.
“When a person stops smoking, the brain is no longer affected by these withdrawal cycles and can recover.”
An improved sense of taste and smell is another advantage.
“We call this type of evidence ‘anecdotal’, as it’s frequently reported by successful quitters but hasn’t been investigated,” Amy adds.
There is no bad time to quit, and proper support and medication can help to manage nicotine withdrawal, “So speak to your local pharmacist or GP as soon as you can,” she advises.
“Smokers are three times as likely to successfully quit when they use a combination of nicotine products and behavioural support.”
Visit www.nhs.uk/better-health/ quit-smoking and ash.org.uk for more information. ■