This is what happens to your body if you quit smoking

Twenty minutes after smoking your last cigarette, you might already notice the difference

We all know that smoking is bad for you. We won’t have to tell you that again. Smoking is also very addictive and that means that smoking can be a hard habit to break. A cigarette contains nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Especially tar is really bad for your lungs and nicotine is the substance that causes addiction. So, we know that smoking has a certain effect on your body. But what happens to your body when you quit?

Chemicals

When you smoke, thousands of chemicals are released. And these end up in your body. If you think that is only harmful to your lungs, you are wrong. The chemicals could also damage your heart. When you smoke, you inhale carbon monoxide and because of that, your red blood cells won’t get enough oxygen. If your red blood cells can’t transport oxygen to your body, your body has to work really hard to find oxygen. And that eventually damages your heart.

Silver lining

But don’t worry! Even if you have been smoking for years and years, the harmful effects can be reduced after you quit. You might even experience a difference in your health right after you quit. When you smoke your last cigarette, you might notice a difference twenty minutes later. And the benefits can add up when you quit smoking for a longer period of time! Read more to find out how fast you will notice the first benefits and what happens to your body during that period of time.

Twenty minutes

After smoking your last cigarette, your blood pressure and heartbeat will go down. And when you quit smoking, it has major benefits for your bronchial tubes. This is because air from your windpipe runs through your bronchial tubes and both are connected to your lungs. The smoke damages the fibers in your bronchial tubes, causing them to malfunction. And these fibers are important for keeping your airways clean. When you quit smoking, it means you’ll be less prone to infections because your bronchial tubes will be able to do what they need to do to keep you healthy. After twenty minutes of quitting, these tubes will start functioning again.

Twenty-four hours

If you quit smoking for exactly one day, your lungs will already be cleaner than they were the day before. Your lungs work hard to rid themselves of carbon monoxide and tar and you might start coughing up mucus.

Two to twelve weeks

Not smoking for two to twelve weeks will improve your blood circulation.

One year

After a year of being a non-smoker, you won’t have to worry as much about cardiovascular diseases. If you have not smoked in a year, the risk of getting one of those diseases will have declined. You will notice that your breathing has improved and that you won’t be coughing as much anymore.

Fifteen years

If you have gone without a cigarette for fifteen years, the risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke will have significantly decreased. Your chances of getting a heart attack or a stroke will be the same as for someone who has never smoked at all. If you have reached fifteen years of being smoke-free, you really accomplished something big. Congratulations!