To quit smoking is one of the most positive changes you can make for your health, and your body can start responding sooner than you might expect.
Some of the benefits of stopping smoking can begin relatively quickly, while others build over months and years. Your heart, lungs, circulation, skin, oral health and overall wellbeing can all benefit from becoming smoke-free.
And while most people already know that smoking isn’t good for their health, knowing what you could gain from quitting can be a little more motivating.
So, what actually happens when you quit smoking? Let’s look at some of the changes your body can experience.
Your body starts recovering
When you stop smoking, your body no longer has the same ongoing exposure to the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke.
This gives it the opportunity to start recovering from some of the effects of smoking. Certain changes can happen relatively quickly, while others take longer as your body adjusts to being smoke-free.
The longer you remain smoke-free, the more some of these health benefits can build. This means quitting isn’t only about protecting your future health. It’s also about giving your body a chance to start recovering now.
Discover 5 easy steps to quit smoking.
Your heart and circulation can benefit
Smoking can put additional strain on your cardiovascular system and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
One of the important benefits of quitting smoking is reducing this ongoing strain. Over time, your circulation can improve and your risk of developing certain cardiovascular conditions can decrease.
Better circulation also means blood can move more effectively around your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients where they’re needed.
Your heart works hard for you every day. Giving up cigarettes is one way you can return the favour.
Your lungs get a break
Your lungs are probably one of the first things you think about when it comes to smoking, and for good reason.
Cigarette smoke can damage the lungs and airways, contributing to breathing difficulties and increasing the risk of serious lung conditions.
When you quit smoking, your lungs no longer have to deal with continued exposure to cigarette smoke. Over time, lung function can improve, and some people may find breathing and physical activity become easier.
You may also notice changes such as coughing or mucus after you quit smoking. While this might seem strange, your respiratory system can go through an adjustment period as your body responds to no longer smoking.
Everyday activity may start feeling easier
A flight of stairs shouldn’t necessarily feel like you’ve just completed a marathon.
Because smoking affects your lungs, heart and circulation, it can influence how your body handles physical activity. As your body adjusts to life without cigarettes, improved circulation and lung function can help make movement and exercise feel easier.
That could mean walking further, getting through a workout more comfortably or simply having an easier time keeping up with a busy day.
You don’t need to suddenly become a fitness fanatic either. Combining quitting smoking with regular movement that suits your fitness level can be a positive step towards supporting your overall health.
Discover essential male check-ups you need to do when you are over 25.
Your sense of taste and smell can improve
Food might get a little more interesting after you quit smoking.
Smoking can affect your senses of taste and smell. After quitting, these senses may begin to improve, which means flavours and smells can become more noticeable again.
Your morning coffee might taste stronger. Your favourite meal could have more flavour. You may even start noticing smells that you hadn’t paid much attention to before.
It may seem like a small benefit compared with some of the major health changes associated with quitting, but it’s one of the everyday differences that can make being smoke-free feel rewarding.
Your skin may thank you
Smoking doesn’t only affect what’s happening inside your body. It can also affect your skin.
Smoking can reduce blood flow to the skin and contribute to premature skin ageing. When you stop smoking, improved circulation can help your skin receive the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
Quitting can’t reverse every existing sign of ageing, but stopping continued exposure to cigarette smoke can help protect your skin from further smoking-related damage.
Consider it another reason your body may be pretty happy about your decision to quit.
Your oral health can improve
Your mouth benefits from becoming smoke-free too.
Smoking is associated with stained teeth, bad breath, gum disease and other oral health problems. It can also affect the health of your gums and increase the risk of more serious conditions affecting your mouth.
To quit smoking can help reduce these risks and support better oral health.
Of course, quitting doesn’t replace brushing, flossing or regular dental check-ups. Those habits still matter. But removing smoking from the equation is another positive step towards looking after your teeth and gums.
Quitting smoking can support fertility
Smoking can affect reproductive health in both men and women.
It can make it more difficult to conceive and is associated with additional risks during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy can also affect the health and development of the baby.
If you’re thinking about starting or growing your family, quitting smoking is an important health step to consider.
Even if pregnancy isn’t currently part of your plans, protecting your reproductive health is another potential long-term benefit of stopping smoking.
Your risk of serious illness decreases
One of the biggest reasons to quit smoking is the impact it can have on your long-term health.
Smoking is associated with an increased risk of several serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, lung disease and multiple types of cancer.
When you quit, your risk of developing certain smoking-related conditions can begin to decrease. Some of these benefits continue to grow the longer you remain smoke-free.
Quitting doesn’t mean that every health risk immediately disappears, but it does remove continued exposure to one of the major preventable causes of disease.
The people around you benefit too
To quit smoking isn’t only a positive change for your own health.
Second-hand smoke can expose the people around you to harmful chemicals, including your family, friends and children. By stopping smoking, you can reduce their exposure too.
Creating a smoke-free home and car can be particularly important for children and other people who may be more vulnerable to the effects of second-hand smoke.
So while quitting is a personal decision, the benefits can extend beyond you.
Is it ever too late to quit smoking?
You might think there’s no point in quitting if you’ve smoked for many years, but that’s not the case.
Stopping smoking can benefit your health regardless of how long you’ve been smoking. While quitting earlier can help prevent more smoking-related damage, becoming smoke-free later in life can still have meaningful health benefits.
The important thing is that stopping continued exposure gives your body an opportunity to respond and reduces future smoking-related risks.
Yesterday might have been the best day to quit. Today is still a pretty good option.
To quit smoking doesn’t have to be a solo mission
Knowing the benefits of quitting and actually giving up cigarettes are two very different things.
Nicotine is addictive, and stopping smoking can be difficult. Some people quit successfully on their first attempt, while others need several attempts before becoming smoke-free.
That doesn’t mean you have to rely on willpower alone.
Healthcare professionals can provide guidance and discuss different approaches to quitting, including behavioural support and appropriate stop-smoking treatments. Having support from friends and family can also make the process feel more manageable.
Finding the right approach for you matters more than trying to follow someone else’s quitting journey.
Looking after your health goes beyond cover
We can’t predict every health problem that may come our way, but there are everyday choices we can make to support our wellbeing.
Quitting smoking is one of them.
Staying active, eating a balanced diet, attending recommended health check-ups, getting enough sleep and seeking medical advice when something doesn’t feel right can all play a part in looking after your health.
Oneplan Health Insurance can help you prepare financially for certain healthcare needs when they arise, while healthier everyday habits can help support your wellbeing over the long term.
At Oneplan, we believe being prepared for your health and taking care of it should go hand in hand.
If you’re considering quitting smoking, speak to a healthcare professional about the support and options available to help you become smoke-free.
Your Health Insurance Family,
Oneplan.
