Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, but quitting can be daunting.
Many fear it will take a long time to see improvements in health and well-being, but the timeline for seeing real benefits is faster than most people realize.
Health benefits begin in as little as an hour after the last cigarette and continue to improve.
Fast facts on quitting smoking:
Here are some key points about smoking cessation. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.
- Quitting smoking means breaking the cycle of addiction and essentially rewiring the brain to stop craving nicotine.
- To be successful, smokers that want to quit need to have a plan in place to beat cravings and triggers.
- The benefits of quitting smoking begin in as little as 1 hour after the last cigarette.
- The sooner a smoker quits, the faster they will reduce their risk of cancer, heart and lung disease, and other conditions related to smoking.
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Timeline
The benefits are almost instant. As soon as a person stops smoking their body begins to recover in the following ways:
After 1 hour
In as little as 20 minutes after the last cigarette is smoked, the heart rate drops and returns to normal. Blood pressure begins to drop, and circulation may start to improve.
After 12 hours
Cigarettes contain a lot of known toxins including carbon monoxide, a gas present in cigarette smoke.
This gas can be harmful or fatal in high doses and prevents oxygen from entering the lungs and blood. When inhaled in large doses in a short time, suffocation can occur from lack of oxygen.
After just 12 hours without a cigarette, the body cleanses itself of the excess carbon monoxide from the cigarettes. The carbon monoxide level returns to normal, increasing the body’s oxygen levels.
After 1 day
Just 1 day after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to decrease.
Smoking raises the risk of developing coronary heart disease by lowering good cholesterol, which makes heart-healthy exercise harder to do. Smoking also raises blood pressure and increases blood clots, increasing the risk of stroke.
In as little as 1 day after quitting smoking, a person’s blood pressure begins to drop, decreasing the risk of heart disease from smoking-induced high blood pressure. In this short time, a person’s oxygen levels will have risen, making physical activity and exercise easier to do, promoting heart-healthy habits.
After 2 days
Smoking damages the nerve endings responsible for the senses of smell and taste. In as little as 2 days after quitting, a person may notice a heightened sense of smell and more vivid tastes as these nerves heal.
After 3 days
3 days after quitting smoking, the nicotine levels in a person’s body are depleted. While it is healthier to have no nicotine in the body, this initial depletion can cause nicotine withdrawal. Around 3 days after quitting, most people will experience moodiness and irritability, severe headaches, and cravings as the body readjusts.
After 1 month
In as little as 1 month, a person’s lung function begins to improve. As the lungs heal and lung capacity improves, former smokers may notice less coughing and shortness of breath. Athletic endurance increases and former smokers may notice a renewed ability for cardiovascular activities, such as running and jumping.
After 1-3 months
For the next several months after quitting, circulation continues to improve.
After 9 months
Nine months after quitting, the lungs have significantly healed themselves. The delicate, hair-like structures inside the lungs known as cilia have recovered from the toll cigarette smoke took on them. These structures help push mucus out of the lungs and help fight infections.
Around this time, many former smokers notice a decrease in the frequency of lung infections because the healed cilia can do their job more easily.
After 1 year
One year after quitting smoking, a person’s risk for coronary heart disease decreases by half. This risk will continue to drop past the 1-year mark.
After 5 years
Cigarettes contain many known toxins that cause the arteries and blood vessels to narrow. These same toxins also increase the likelihood of developing blood clots.
After 5 years without smoking, the body has healed itself enough for the arteries and blood vessels to begin to widen again. This widening means the blood is less likely to clot, lowering the risk of stroke.
The risk of stroke will continue to reduce over the next 10 years as the body heals more and more.
After 10 years
After 10 years, a person’s chances of developing lung cancer and dying from it are roughly cut in half compared with someone who continues to smoke. The likelihood of developing mouth, throat, or pancreatic cancer has significantly reduced.
After 15 years
After 15 years of having quit smoking, the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease is the equivalent of a non-smoker. Similarly, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer has reduced to the same level as a non-smoker.
After 20 years
After 20 years, the risk of death from smoking-related causes, including both lung disease and cancer, drops to the level of a person who has never smoked in their life. Also, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer has reduced to that of someone who has never smoked.powered by Rubicon Project
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Benefits
Smoking is a harmful habit that can lead to severe health complications and death. When a person quits smoking, the body will start to naturally heal and regain the vitality of a non-smoker over time.
Some effects, such as lowered blood pressure, are seen almost immediately. Other effects, such as risks of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and lung disease, take years to drop down to the levels of a non-smoker.
However, each year of not smoking decreases risks and improves overall health, making quitting smoking an excellent choice for anyone who started the habit.https://www.myfinance.com/r/ssr/5cb381dd-77e7-41e7-ae5c-6868a1bea82a?utm_campaign=hl-mental-health-mpl&utm_medium=embed&selector=%23mc675e24d-7ab4-4f5c-a8ef-5527a9992638+%3E+div+%3E+div&csid=e7bd6174-765f-455f-940e-d032a9ad1ef6&caid=851a8497-2cfc-4046-a33a-c4026832d3bb&ciid=b0b4c1cf-6258-49b4-a713-c08d13014e4f&tenant=wk_1TqfDFRGHn0jTtfOmLxhMNY4pTU&srckey=src_1TqfDEuTgPdTNAD39WZ0B6LTadQ&cxsid=370c2871-10b3-40f7-a047-0986f7488b9b&imre=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWVkaWNhbG5ld3N0b2RheS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZXMvMzE3OTU2&_mfuuid_=3b645fea-2d54-49c4-b9ac-7234704bed8c&width=750&subId=bhwidget_mnt_substancerx_33010
Last medically reviewed on November 19, 2018
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Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP — Written by Jenna Fletcher on November 19, 2018
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Quitting smoking may improve mental well-being
- According to the results of a recent systematic review, quitting smoking may produce positive health effects in a matter of weeks.
- The review found that people who quit smoking had a greater reduction in anxiety, depression, and symptoms of stress than people who did not.
- If accurate, these findings could help motivate millions of people looking for more reasons to quit smoking or avoid stopping for fears of negative mental health or social effects.
Each year, smoking cigarettes claims the lives of more than 480,000 people Trusted Sourcein the United States and more than 8 millionTrusted Source people around the world. And, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness, impoverishment, and death worldwide.
Smoking rates have been falling substantially over the last 50 years, particularly in high income countries, with the rate of tobacco use now at 19.7% in the U.S in 2018.Trusted Source In contrast, this rate remains stubbornly high (36.7%) in people with mental health issues.
Some people believe smoking offers mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety. In one studyTrusted Source, it was not just smokers who thought this but also mental health practitioners. Around 40–45% of mental health professionals assumed that smoking cessation would not be helpful to their patients.
Some also believe that mental health symptoms would worsen if they quit smoking. Many smokers worry that they will lose social relationships, either from the irritability that can occur early on during smoking cessation or because they view smoking as a central part of their social life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 millionTrusted Source people in the U.S. continue to smoke cigarettes.
This is why a group of researchers set out to explore how smoking impacts mental health precisely. Their review appears in the Cochrane Library.
The mental benefits of quitting
“Smokers often believe that cigarettes are the crutch they need when they feel low, but there is good reason to think that smoking is actually making them feel worse,” said Dr. Gemma Taylor, the review’s lead author.
“The daily cycle of waking up with cravings, satisfying the cravings through smoking, only to be back wanting another cigarette within hours has an understandable impact on how people feel.
“But get past the withdrawal that many smokers feel when they stop, and better mental health is on the other side,” she continued. “From our evidence, we see that the link between smoking cessation and mood seem to be similar in a range of people. And most crucially, there is no evidence that people with mental health conditions will experience a worsening of their health if they stop smoking.”
If these findings are confirmed, they could offer hope to millions of people afraid to quit smoking for fears of experiencing worsened mental health symptoms.
Knowing that quitting smoking can improve mental and social well-being within weeks could also help keep individuals motivated during withdrawal.
Nicotine and dopamine
Nicotine, the primary active ingredient in tobacco cigarettes, can briefly improve mood.
When someone inhales smoke, it takes around 10–20 secondsTrusted Source for nicotine to reach the brain. Once there, it stimulatesTrusted Source the release of dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with positive feelings. It tends to improve concentrationTrusted Source and mood, relax muscles, and reduce stress. These properties give most people an almost immediate feeling of relaxation.
But the positive effects of nicotine wear off quickly.ADVERTISEMENTOnline therapy can help with long-term addiction support
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Smoking and mental health
When someone smokes, it temporarily reduces withdrawal symptoms. This means they must keep smoking at the same rate to avoid withdrawal. This cycle of positive and negative symptoms helps drive nicotine addiction.
But smoking can not provide any long-term or meaningful positive benefits.
Scientists have identified links between mental health and smoking. For instance, one report found that people with mental health disorders smoke at two to four times the average rate of the general population.
Other studies have shown associations between depression and smoking, but the relationship between the two is likely to be complex, and scientists need to carry out more research to understand the details. Depression is a persistent risk factor for nicotine dependency across age groups.
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Quitting improves mental well-being
In the recent review, researchers examined the findings of 102 studies. For inclusion in the review, each study had to last for at least 6 weeks and track whether participants quit smoking or not, plus any mental health changes. The studies either had to have a control group or be a long-term follow-up study of smokers, some of whom quit and some who did not.
In total, the review included data from more than 169,500 participants.
Most of the studies surveyed the general population, while several included people with mental health conditions. Some of the studies gathered information from participants with physical or chronic health conditions, pregnant people, or those who had recently undergone surgery.
Based on their analysis, the team concluded that, contrary to smokers and some practitioners’ fears, quitting smoking compared with not quitting did not worsen depression, anxiety, and symptoms of stress.
The review also found some evidence that quitting smoking promoted positive feelings and mental well-being. The team concluded that stopping may even have a small positive effect on social well-being.
A sub-analysis of three studies showed a pooled reduced likelihood of 24% in developing mixed anxiety and depression in the future and, based on two studies, a 44% reduced chance of developing anxiety alone. The studies on future diagnoses of depression were too dissimilar to calculate a summary result.
Limitations
It is worth noting that the team had high confidence in the overall finding that quitting tobacco does not worsen mental health symptoms.
However, they were less confident in their results regarding the mental health benefits of stopping smoking — the calculated likelihood of these findings was very low to moderate.
Their confidence in the link between quitting smoking and improvement in mental health symptoms was very low for depression and low for anxiety.
This is because the studies included in the review used different methods and ways of assessing mental health symptoms, making it harder to combine the results. The authors also note that certain studies had limitations and design flaws.
The research duration also varied drastically between studies, ranging from 6 weeks to 6 years.
More robust, uniform research is needed to understand the true relationship between mental health, mental health symptoms, and smoking.
During a pandemic may not seem like the time to quit smoking. But now may just be the right time, according to Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health.
“After the year we’ve all had, some smokers might feel now is not the time to stop. The opposite is true — put smoking behind you, and a brighter future beckons. Using nicotine replacement, whether patches, gum, or vapes, can help deal with any withdrawal symptoms, which last at most a matter of weeks,” says Arnott.
“Be confident that once you’ve put smoking behind you, not only will you be healthier and wealthier, but you will feel happier too.”
The American Lung Association offer tips for cutting down and quitting smoking successfully. They say that every smoker can quit, and they will help find the technique that works for every individual smoker.
Written by Jennifer Huizen on March 14, 2021 — Fact checked by Hilary Guite, FFPH, MRCGP
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What to know about smoker’s leg
Excessive smoking can lead to smoker’s leg. In this circulatory disease, blood vessels narrow and restrict blood flow to the lower limbs.
In people with smoker’s leg, blood flow reduction may cause leg pain or cramps when walking.
The treatment options for smoker’s leg may include lifestyle changes, prescription medications, and, in severe cases, surgery.
In this article, we discuss the causes of smoker’s leg. We also look at how to treat and prevent the condition.
What is smoker’s leg?
Smoker’s leg refers to symptoms in the leg resulting from a condition that doctors call peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the arteries in the leg. It can also affect blood flow to the:
- arms
- stomach
- brain
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 6.5 millionTrusted Source people in the United States aged 40 years and above have PAD. PAD is more commonTrusted Source in African Americans than in people belonging to other racial groups.
PAD is most often due to atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which restricts blood flow outside the heart.
When a person develops smoker’s leg, they are likely to experience pain in the legs when walking. This symptom occurs due to insufficient blood in the limbs.
Causes of smoker’s leg
The most commonTrusted Source cause of PAD is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty deposits build up inside the arteries, restricting blood flow to other parts of the body.
Blood clots may also form on the artery walls, decreasing the size of these blood vessels and sometimes blocking them.
Although doctors often consider atherosclerosis to be a heart-related issue, symptoms can occur throughout the body, including in the legs.
Other factors that may increase the chances of developing smoker’s leg include:
- smoking
- being over the age of 60 yearsTrusted Source
- having overweight or obesity
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- a family history of PAD, heart disease, or stroke
- chronic kidney disease or being on dialysis
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Symptoms
Many people with smoker’s leg experience no signs or symptoms. However, some people may have leg pain when walking, which the medical community refers to as claudication. The severity of claudication ranges from mild to severe.
The most common symptom of PAD is muscle pain or cramping when walking, especially in the:
- buttocks
- hips
- thighs
- calves
Walking may trigger the symptoms, which usually disappear a few minutes after resting.
Other symptoms may include:
- leg weakness
- hair loss on the feet and legs
- coldness in the lower legs or feet
- sore feet, toes, or legs
- discoloration of the legs
- shiny, pale skin on the legs, which may appear bluish in some people
- toenails growing slowly
- decreased or absent pulse in the feet
- erectile dysfunction
Treatment
The treatment for smoker’s leg typically involves lifestyle changes and medications. These treatments help manage symptoms and stop the aggravation of atherosclerosis.
Lifestyle changes
People can adopt certain measures to help reduce the symptoms of smoker’s leg. These include:
- Engaging in regular physical activity: A doctor may recommend regular physical activity under a supervised trainer. Leg exercises, walking regimens, and treadmill exercise programs may decrease symptoms.
- Stopping smoking: Cigarette smoking is the most commonTrusted Source risk factor for PAD. Quitting smoking may help slow the progression of PAD and reduce the risk of complications.
- Reaching or maintaining a moderate body weight: People with overweight or obesity have an increased chance of developing smoker’s leg.
- Eating a balanced diet: Many people with PAD have high cholesterol levels. Eating a balanced diet that is low in cholesterol and trans fats and rich in vegetables and fruits can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Avoiding certain cold medications: Over-the-counter medications containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine constrict blood vessels, which may worsen symptoms.
Medication
A doctor may prescribe medications to reduce pain and other symptoms of smoker’s leg, including:
- cilostazol (Pletal) to reduce claudication symptoms
- daily aspirin therapy or clopidogrel (Plavix) to reduce blood clotting
- statins, such as rosuvastatin (Crestor) or atorvastatin (Lipitor), to reduce cholesterol levels
- angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to lower blood pressure levels
- medications to manage blood sugar levels, in people with diabetes
Angioplasty and vascular surgery
If routine changes and medications do not work, a doctor may recommend angioplasty, stenting, or vascular bypass surgery.
Angioplasty involves inflating a balloon across the narrowing to increase the size of the diseased artery. In doing this, it helps increase blood flow throughout the body.
Stenting involves placing a hollow metal tube into the affected artery and deploying it across the narrowing to unblock the artery.
Vascular bypass surgery involves reconnecting blood vessels to redirect blood flow from one area to another. Surgeons use this technique to allow blood to pass around a blockage.
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Prevention
A person can help reduce the risk of developing smoker’s leg by:
- quitting smoking
- maintaining a moderate weight
- eating a balanced diet
- exercising regularly
- managing blood pressure and blood sugar levels
When to contact a doctor
Lifestyle changes and medications often help treat and prevent smoker’s leg. However, some symptoms may require immediate medical intervention.
A person should see a doctor immediately if they have:
- leg pain or numbness when walking
- pale or discolored limbs that have a very weak or absent pulse
- PAD symptoms and are over the age of 50 yearsTrusted Source with a history of smoking or diabetes
Summary
Smoker’s leg is the term for PAD that affects the lower limbs, causing leg pain and cramping. The condition results from the buildup of plaque in the arteries and, in rare cases, the development of blood clots.
Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, reaching or maintaining a moderate weight, and eating a balanced diet, may help prevent smoker’s leg.
However, if a person has difficulty walking or their legs become pale or discolored with no pulse, they should seek immediate medical attention.
Last medically reviewed on February 26, 2021
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Medically reviewed by Andrew Gonzalez, M.D., J.D., MPH, specialty in general surgery — Written by Lydia Kibet on February 26, 2021
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What are the differences between a smoker’s lungs and healthy lungs?
Smoking is one of the biggest threats to lung function. It changes the structure and function of the lungs, making breathing difficult and increasing the risk of numerous medical conditions.
The lungs are part of the respiratory system, which takes oxygen in from the air and removes carbon dioxide. Although several factors may compromise lung function, including genetic diseases, infections, and environmental exposures, smoking remains one of the most dangerous.
In this article, we discuss the functional and structural differences between a smoker’s lungs and healthy lungs. We also provide some tips on quitting smoking and improving lung function.
Smokers’ lungs vs. healthy lungs
Smoking can change the physical appearance of the lungs. Diagnostic tests, such as a CAT scan and chest X-ray, may identify some of the changes. The chart below summarizes some common physical changes.
| Healthy lungs | Smoker’s lungs |
| Pink | Gray or black |
| Normal size | Hyperinflated |
| No inflammation | Patches of inflammation |
| Dome-shaped diaphragm | Diaphragm muscle loss |
Smoking not only causes physical changes but also alters the function of the lungs. The amount of time that it takes for the changes to develop varies among individuals.
The changes cause several symptoms that interfere with normal breathing. In general, the differences between a smoker’s lungs and healthy lungs include the following:
Increased mucus production
Smoking may cause the lungs to produce more mucusTrusted Source.
This increased mucus production can happen for a few reasons, but it primarily occurs because smoking cigarettes damages the epithelial cells that line the airway. Inflammatory cells develop due to the damage, and this promotes goblet cell production, leading to increased mucus.
Although it can vary in consistency and quantity, the lungs of many smokers produce moderate-to-large amounts of thick mucus.
Coughing
It is commonTrusted Source for smokers to cough frequently or even develop a chronic cough. Often, smokers’ lungs sustain damage to the cilia. Cilia are small hairs in the airway that help keep dirt and other irritants out of the lungs.
Usually, smoking damages the cilia by either paralyzing or destroying them, which allows irritants to get into the airways. This may lead to a long-term cough.
Low oxygen levels
Smoking may leadTrusted Source to thickening and scarring of the capillary walls in the lungs. The capillaries are small blood vessels, which allow oxygen to pass through and subsequently travel to the tissues in the body. Damage to the capillaries may interfere with proper gaseous exchange, resulting in low oxygen levels.
Wheezing
Typically, a smoker’s lungs have more inflammationTrusted Source than healthy lungs. The chemicals in cigarettes may damage the tissues in the lungs, which leads to inflammation. Lung inflammation narrows the airways, often causing chest tightness and wheezing.
Shortness of breath
The combination of the changes that smoking causes in the lungs may lead to shortness of breath.
Several of these changes, including damage to the cells that line the airways, destroyed cilia, and increased mucus, make breathing difficult. As a result, breathlessness may occur with even mild physical exertion.
Learn more about lung function here.
Why smoking changes the lungs
Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicalsTrusted Source, including:
- nicotine
- ammonia
- carbon monoxide
- acetaldehyde
Some of the chemicals above are carcinogens, which means that they may cause cancer in humans. In addition, the chemicals may damage the lungs in other ways, such as leading to scarring or inflammation and damaging cells and blood vessels.
Over time, smoking may change the lungs enough to causeTrusted Source respiratory conditions, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In addition to smoking, extensive exposure to secondhand smoke can change the lungs and lead to certain respiratory conditions.
Learn more about how smoking affects the lungs here.ADVERTISEMENTOnline therapy can help with long-term addiction support
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Tips for quitting smoking
One of the best ways to minimize the risk of lung damage is to avoid ever smoking. People who already smoke can choose from different options to help them break the habit. Those looking to stop smoking may wish to consider the following tips:
Learn about different quitting methods
There are many different ways to quit smoking, and no one way is right for everyone. Certain methods of smoking cessation have more research behind them than others, but even less-proven techniques work for some people.
Smoking cessation options include:
- nicotine replacement, which is available in the form of patches, gums, and sprays
- medication, such as bupropion (Zyban) or Chantix
- hypnosis
- counseling
- acupuncture
Consider more than one method
There is no rule that someone must choose only one technique to help them quit smoking. Sometimes, a combination of methods is most effective. For example, using nicotine replacement therapy along with counseling may increase the chances of success for some people.
Enlist support
Some people might find it helpful to tell family and friends about their intention to quit smoking, as these loved ones may be able to provide support.
Alternatively, online and in-person support is available through the American Lung Association and smokefree.gov.
Stick with it
It is not uncommon to experience setbacks when trying to quit smoking. Giving in to temptation and having a cigarette does not mean failure. Instead, a person can learn from the experience and try to find additional or alternative ways to increase their chances of staying smoke-free in the future.
Learn more about how to quit smoking here.
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Tips for healthy lungs
Refraining from smoking is one of the best ways to keep the lungs healthy. However, people can take other steps to protect their lungs and maintain good lung health. These include:
- Exercising regularly: Exercise helps increase how efficiently the body uses oxygen. It can also decrease the risk of certain diseases that may affect lung health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that all adults aim for at least 150 minutesTrusted Source of exercise a week.
- Protecting against infection: In some cases, infections can damage the lungs. People can reduce the risk of lung infection by washing the hands frequently, staying away from people when they are sick, and getting an annual flu vaccine, if a doctor recommends it.
- Reducing indoor pollutants: Various indoor air pollutants can lead to lung irritation, contribute to lung disease, and make current respiratory conditions worse. Keeping the home free from chemical solvents, asbestos, and secondhand smoke can help protect lung health.
Learn more about how to keep the lungs healthy here.
Summary
Smokers’ lungs are different than healthy lungs in several ways. Smoking can not only change the appearance of the lungs but also cause functional changes, such as damage to the cells that line the airway, the cilia, and the capillaries in the lungs.
The structural damage may result in various symptoms, including chronic coughing, increased mucus, and shortness of breath. The best way to avoid this is to refrain from or quit smoking. There are several ways to quit smoking, including using medication, nicotine patches, and behavioral counseling.
Source: Medical News Today
