Experts have shared their top tips to quit smoking this January.
Smoking remains one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK. It not only increases your risk of developing dozens of serious health conditions, some of which can be fatal, but it can also harm those around you.
The NHS states smoking causes around seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer, but also causes cancer in many other parts of the body including the mouth, throat, voice box, bladder, bowel, cervix, kidney, liver and stomach. It also damages your heart and blood circulation which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart disease and damaged blood vessels and arteries.
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Smokers are being urged to give up the unhealthy habit this January as the NHS recommends these top tips:
- Once you have picked your quit date, remember to add it to your calendar
- List your reasons to quit.
- Tell people you're quitting.
- If you have tried to quit before, remember what worked.
- Use stop smoking aids.
- Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke.
- List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them.
- Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy.
- Exercise away the urge.
- Join a Facebook group for support and advice.
Stopping smoking brings benefits to not only your health, but also financially and emotionally. Many people could save from anything between £2,000 to £4,000 every year. Vaping experts at IndeJuice previously calculated how much money you could be saving, revealing that at one pack of cigarettes per day at the average cost of £11.50 per pack, you would save £349.79 per month.
The NHS website says: "Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. When you stop, you give your lungs the chance to repair and you will be able to breathe easier. There are lots of other benefits too – and they start almost immediately.
"So make this January your fresh start and join the thousands who are quitting. Check out our advice, tools and tips. It's never too late to quit. You’ve got this."
Here are the benefits to your body when you quit smoking:
- After 20 minutes - your pulse will begin to return to normal
- After eight hours - your oxygen levels are recovering, and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half.
- After 48-hours - All carbon monoxide is flushed out. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.
- After 72 hours - breathing will feel easier because your bronchial tubes have started to relax and your energy will be increasing.
- After two to 12 weeks - blood will be pumping through to your heart and muscles much better because your circulation will have improved.
- After three to nine months - any coughs, wheezing or breathing problems will be improving as your lung function increases by up to 10%.
- After one year - your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker's
- After 10 years - your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker's.
Cllr Christine Bannon, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Health, urges residents in the borough to quit smoking. She said: "New Year is a time when many people decide to quit smoking.
"If you’ve decided to stop smoking there’s a range of free support available including stop smoking aids, digital tools and expert help from Smokefree Knowsley, our local stop smoking service.
"There are also several ways that you can get ready to quit such as being prepared for triggers, making changes to your routine to resist cravings and getting support from your friends and family to keep going. These tools and support can help boost your chances of quitting for good.
"Even if you’ve tried before and didn’t manage don’t give up on quitting because you can do it. Many smokers try several times before they succeed but getting the right support and using stop smoking aids to help ease the cravings, gives you a much better chance of success."
More tips can be found here.
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