For all the struggle of quitting smoking, there are equal, simultaneous rewards! When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of healing changes.
At 20 minutes after quitting:
blood pressure decreases
pulse rate drops
body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
oxygen level in blood increases to normal
At 24 hours:
chance of a heart attack decreases
At 48 hours:
nerve endings start regrowing
ability to smell and taste is enhanced
In the first year after quitting
At 2 weeks to 3 months:
circulation improves
walking becomes easier
lung function increases
9 to 11 months:
coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker decreases
Long-term Benefits of Quitting
At 5 (to 15) years:
stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked
At 10 years:
risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
