Quitting smoking is a simple process that can be a struggle for some people to achieve, however for those who accomplish it, there are huge rewards and benefits.
Contrary to belief, a quitting smoking timeline doesn't end after 12 weeks, it is a lifelong process that gets easier the longer you do it. It is much like having a shower in the morning, you can't expect to stay clean for the rest of your life from having a single shower, you must wash yourself everyday to stay clean. For a typical individual the most difficult part of quitting occurs in the first 12 weeks where the cravings for nicotine are the highest, it is a mind game where you must overcome your subconscious brain.
We can use a rough quitting smoking timeline to show the changes that occur, when and what to look out for.
Within 20 minutes the benefits of not smoking will start to occur, you will start to get a lower resting heart rate. Smoking can cause your heart rate to increase by as much as 10 beats per minute.
Eight hours into the quitting smoking timeline and you would have stopped putting up to 4000 different chemicals into your body. In addition to this how much time have you got back? Each cigarette can take between 3 and 10 minutes to smoke, that can be a lot of time. You must master your mind as you will get cravings, the good news is that cravings are temporary typically only lasting a few minutes, get over the craving and you will be on your way to quitting.
After a day you will see considerable changes, you may sleep better after a day alternatively you maybe someone who gets jittery as quitting smoking has different effects on different people, remember this is all normal and part of the body's natural healing process. You will get cravings that get stronger and stronger; this is where you need to be stronger than your cravings! Keep your mind occupied by doing things, try things you haven't done before.
A few days into the quitting smoking timeline and we see that a lot of people can't handle it and give in to a cigarette, don't see this as failure! This is simply a temporary lapse and happens to a lot of people, just continue on like you were doing before you had the relapse and keep the good work up of not smoking. Getting this far, you will see a difference in your senses; your taste and smell will be a lot more receptive.
Be positive, quitting smoking is all about your mind, control your mind by giving it positive thoughts, reward yourself for not smoking and occupy yourself with new activities.
A week into the quitting smoking timeline and you will find that the ex-smoker within will be really trying to get out and take you back a stage, reward yourself, think positive and try new activities. You may also find that you have put a little weight on, those of you who are weight conscious DON'T BE! This extra weight is normal when you are quitting smoking and is HEALTHIER than smoking, maybe as part of the new activities you can start playing a sport or doing exercise, it often helps the weight and keeps you on track.
Week six in the quitting smoking timeline, you must feel awesome now, a whole six weeks in and haven't had a cigarette! You may get some occasional cravings, just keep thinking positive and remember that cravings only last a few minutes. Your weight may have increased even if you are eating the same, don't worry this is normal, trying doing a bit more exercise, walk for 20 minutes a day it will soon come off.
10 weeks into the quitting smoking timeline and you believe you have made it, ensure you keep rewarding yourself to reinforce that positive side of quitting. Don't relapse, you have come so far, keep yourself active and you will do great.
Six months, the quitting smoking timeline is working. Take a look at the activities you have been doing. Getting this far is fantastic, keep up the excellent work. Tell everyone you know that you have got this far, the applauses you get will keep you going. This is where you will find that you will no longer be breathless, there isn't much smoke left in your lungs to clog them up.
A year down the quitting smoking timeline, you have made it. Tell the world that you have quit smoking, ensure you give yourself a huge reward (through the savings you have made of not smoking) and celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. The risk of heart attack is now 50% of a non-smoker if you keep this up and soon you will be back to the health levels of a non-smoker.
The quitting smoking timeline doesn't end after a year as 5, 10, 15 years later the risk of getting any smoking related diseases have disappeared, you are back to that of a non-smoker, well done!
Remember the quitting smoking timeline is not a set process, for some people it will take longer and other will be shorter. Everyone in this world is different; variety is the spice of life, so if you don't quit the first time just start again as most people take several attempts to actually quit smoking.
0 comments:
Post a Comment