Watch what happens when you give up smoking
Did you know that from the first day you stop smoking your health will start to improve? Even if you already have some health problems from smoking, you can still improve your overall health by quitting. Here, you can learn what happens to your body when you quit smoking.
Watch the animation below to discover what happens to your body when you quit smoking, or read on to find out more.
What happens to your body when you stop smoking?
Just 20 minutes after you have your last cigarette, your pulse and blood pressure will start to reduce.
Within around eight hours, the amount of oxygen in your blood returns to normal.
In the same amount of time, the amount of carbon monoxide in your blood will be reduced by half.
By the second day, it will be gone completely.
After about two days, your sense of taste will start to get better.
As early as two weeks after you stop, your circulation starts to improve.
After one month, your complexion may improve and any wrinkles might be reduced.
You might notice you cough less and that your breathing improves.
Between three and nine months after quitting, your lung function can increase by up to 10%.
By the end of the first year, your risk of a heart attack will drop by half.
After ten years of not smoking, your risk of lung cancer goes down to half that of a smoker.
Your risk of getting other cancers like mouth, throat, oesophageal, bladder and pancreatic cancer also all decrease.
After 15 years of not smoking, your risk of having a heart attack is the same as someone who never smoked.
And it's not just your physical health that can benefit, stopping smoking may also improve your mental health.
Giving up smoking is associated with having a more positive mood, as well as feeling less stressed and less anxious.
The benefits of giving up smoking
When you quit smoking, your health and well-being will improve. This can start within a matter of hours and continue for the long-term.
Here are some of the physical benefits that can happen once you quit smoking:
Within days of giving up
The first few days of stopping smoking are often the hardest. This is because you start to experience nicotine withdrawal. It also disrupts your daily habits. However, it’s good to remember that the benefits of quitting start from the very first day that you give up.
- Just 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart rate and blood pressure will start to reduce.
- Within eight hours, the amount of oxygen in your blood returns to normal.
- Around 12 hours after quitting, the amount of carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal.
Within weeks of giving up
After you’ve stopped smoking for a few weeks, you’ll start to see even more benefits.
- As early as two weeks after you stop, your blood circulation and energy levels will start to improve.
- After a month, you might notice that your skin looks better and any facial wrinkles might be reduced.
Within the first year of giving up
As you start to count months of not smoking, even bigger changes start to happen inside your body.
- As quickly as one month after giving up, you might notice that you cough less and your breathing improves.
- Between three and nine months after quitting, your lungs can work better.
- By the end of the first year, your risk of a heart attack will drop by half.
Longer-term benefits of giving up smoking
- After 10 years of not smoking, your risk of lung cancer goes down to half that of a smoker. Your risk of getting other cancers, like mouth, throat, oesophageal, bladder, and pancreatic cancer, also all decrease.
- After 15 years of not smoking, your risk of having a heart attack is the same as somebody who never smoked.
What happens to your body after you give up smoking? Click on the image below to download the PDF (PDF, 1.8 MB).
Mental health benefits of quitting smoking
As well as improving your physical heath, stopping smoking may also improve your mental health.
A common misconception is that smoking can help to manage your stress levels. But smoking can actually lead to poorer mental health. Giving up smoking is associated with having a more positive mood, as well as feeling less stressed and less anxious.
Support for stopping smoking
Giving up smoking can be difficult. It can cause withdrawal symptoms while your body gets used to the change. These can include:
- nicotine cravings or a strong urge to smoke
- feeling restless or irritable
- tiredness and fatigue
- trouble sleeping or concentrating
But withdrawal symptoms don’t last forever. It’s important to remember the reason why you’re giving up smoking and to prioritise your health.
Here are some things that can help support you through quitting.
- Stop smoking services that offer one-to-one help, as well as group sessions.
- Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as patches or gum.
- Medicines such as bupropion or varenicline.
- Using e-cigarettes (also known as vaping). These are believed to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes and many people find them helpful to gradually reduce their nicotine intake. But they still come with risks. It’s better not to smoke anything.
Forming healthy habits, making a smoking quit list and sticking to a plan can also help you to stop smoking and make a lasting change.
Do you know how healthy you truly are? Bupa health assessments give you a clear overview of your health and a view of any future health risks. You'll receive a personal lifestyle action plan with health goals to reach for a happier, healthier you.
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Sources Sources
- Health matters: stopping smoking – what works? Public Heath England. gov.uk, updated 17 December 2019
- Health benefits of quitting smoking over time. American Cancer Society. cancer.org, last updated October 2024
- Quitting smoking timeline. Action on smoking and health Wales. ash.wales, accessed 2 December 2024
- When will I feel better if I stop smoking? British Lung Foundation. blf.org.uk, last reviewed March 2024
- Benefits of quitting. American Lung Association. lung.org, last updated November 2024
- Managing nicotine withdrawal. Smokefree.gov, accessed 2 December 2024
- Wu AD, Gao M & Aveyard P et al. Smoking Cessation and Changes in Anxiety and Depression in Adults With and Without Psychiatric Disorders. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(5):e2316111. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.16111
- Taylor GMJ, Lindson N & Farley A et al. Smoking cessation for improving mental health. Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews Review – Intervention. Published March 2021
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