Deciding to quit smoking is a big step for your health, and your body can start responding sooner than you might think.
We often hear about the health risks associated with cigarettes, but there’s another side to the conversation: what happens when you stop?
Some of the benefits of quitting smoking can begin relatively quickly, while others build over months and years. Your heart, lungs, circulation, senses and overall health can all benefit from becoming smoke-free.
Here are 10 changes that can happen when you quit smoking.
1. Your body starts recovering
When you quit smoking, you stop the continued exposure to the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke.
This gives your body an opportunity to begin recovering from some of the effects of smoking. Some changes can happen relatively quickly, while others develop gradually as you spend more time smoke-free.
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Quitting isn’t only about protecting your health years from now. It’s also about giving your body the opportunity to start recovering today.
2. Your heart gets a break
Smoking puts additional strain on your cardiovascular system and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
When you quit smoking, you remove that continued exposure and give your cardiovascular system a chance to recover. Over time, your risk of developing certain smoking-related cardiovascular conditions can decrease.
Your heart works around the clock. Becoming smoke-free is one way of giving it a little less to deal with.
3. Your circulation can improve
Smoking can affect the way blood moves around your body. When you quit smoking, your circulation can improve over time.
Healthy circulation is important because your blood carries oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Improvements in circulation may also contribute to some of the other benefits you experience after stopping smoking.
It’s one of those changes you might not physically see, but your body can certainly benefit from it.
4. Your lungs can begin to recover
Your lungs are probably one of the first things that come to mind when you think about smoking.
Cigarette smoke can damage the lungs and airways, contributing to breathing difficulties and increasing the risk of serious lung conditions.
After you quit smoking, your lungs no longer have to deal with the same continued exposure to cigarette smoke. Over time, lung function can improve, and breathing and physical activity may start to feel easier.
Some people may experience coughing or increased mucus after quitting. Your respiratory system can go through an adjustment period as your body adapts to being smoke-free.
5. Everyday movement may feel easier
Ever feel like a flight of stairs requires far more effort than it should?
Smoking affects your heart, lungs and circulation, which can influence how your body handles physical activity.
As your body adjusts after you quit smoking, improvements in circulation and lung function can make exercise and everyday movement feel easier.
That doesn’t mean you suddenly need to become a marathon runner. Walking, taking the stairs or adding regular movement to your routine can all contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
6. Your sense of taste and smell can improve
One of the more noticeable benefits of quitting smoking could be hiding in your next meal.
Smoking can affect your senses of taste and smell. Once you quit smoking, these senses may begin to improve, making flavours and smells more noticeable.
Your morning coffee might taste stronger, your favourite meal may have more flavour and you might start noticing scents you hadn’t paid much attention to before.
Compared with some of the bigger health benefits of quitting, it might sound small. But it’s one of the everyday changes that can make becoming smoke-free feel pretty rewarding.
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7. Your skin and oral health can benefit
Smoking can affect blood flow to your skin and contribute to premature skin ageing. When you quit, improved circulation can help your skin receive the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
Stopping smoking won’t magically reverse every existing sign of ageing, but it can help prevent continued smoking-related damage.
Your mouth can benefit too.
Smoking is associated with stained teeth, bad breath and an increased risk of gum disease and other oral health problems. Giving up cigarettes can help reduce some of these risks and support better oral health.
You’ll still need to keep up with brushing, flossing and those dental check-ups, of course.
8. Your reproductive health can benefit
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 having children isn’t currently part of your plans, looking after your reproductive health is another potential long-term benefit of becoming smoke-free.
9. Your risk of serious health conditions can decrease
This is one of the biggest long-term benefits of quitting smoking.
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 build the longer you remain smoke-free.
Quitting doesn’t mean every health risk immediately disappears, and it can’t guarantee that you won’t experience health problems in the future. What it can do is remove continued exposure to one of the major preventable causes of disease.
10. The people around you benefit too
Becoming smoke-free isn’t only good news for your own health.
Second-hand smoke can expose the people around you to harmful chemicals, including your family, friends and children.
By quitting smoking and creating a smoke-free home and car, you can reduce their exposure too.
It’s a decision you make for yourself, but the benefits can reach further than you might realise.
Is it ever too late to quit smoking?
If you’ve smoked for years, you might wonder whether quitting now will really make a difference.
It can.
Stopping smoking can benefit your health regardless of how long you’ve smoked. While quitting earlier can help prevent more smoking-related damage, becoming smoke-free later in life can still offer meaningful health benefits.
Once you stop, you remove continued exposure to cigarette smoke and give your body an opportunity to respond.
So, no, you haven’t necessarily “left it too late”.
Getting help to quit smoking
Knowing why you should quit and actually doing it are two very different things.
Nicotine is addictive, and quitting smoking can be difficult. Some people manage to stop on their first attempt, while others may need several attempts before becoming smoke-free.
You don’t have to rely on willpower alone.
If you’re thinking about quitting, consider speaking to a healthcare professional. They can help you understand the support and appropriate stop-smoking options available to you.
Support from the people around you can also make a difference. Letting friends and family know you’re trying to quit can give you people to turn to when you’re having a difficult day.
There’s no single quitting journey that works for everyone. Finding an approach that works for you is what matters.
Healthy choices can’t prevent every medical bill
Quitting smoking, staying active, eating well and going for recommended health checks are all positive ways to look after yourself.
But taking care of your health doesn’t mean you can predict every medical event or expense that might come your way.
If you’re a member of a medical scheme, you may also find that having medical scheme cover doesn’t necessarily mean every healthcare bill will be paid in full. Depending on your medical scheme, the healthcare provider and the treatment you receive, there may be a difference between what your provider charges and what your medical scheme pays.
That’s where Oneplan Gap Cover comes into the picture.
Oneplan Gap Cover works alongside your medical scheme and can help towards certain qualifying shortfalls and co-payments for eligible medical expenses, subject to the benefits, limits, waiting periods and terms of your chosen plan.
It doesn’t replace your medical scheme, and looking after your health still matters. Instead, it’s another way to prepare financially for certain healthcare costs you may not have expected.
Because while quitting smoking can help reduce some of the health risks within your control, being prepared for the unexpected matters too.
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