o In less than an hour, your heart rate slows and blood pressure begins to fall. In the next few hours, your blood will already be able to carry more oxygen because the level of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases. You will see an improvement in the circulation and have a better image for your skin color. You begin to experience withdrawal symptoms within 24 hours, nicotine begins to be emptied from your system - most likely start to feel irritable, tired and headache.
o In the next two days, bronchi expand, increasing lung volume. You will also find that your sense of smell and taste begin to improve, and nerve endings begin to recover.
o After a few months of not smoking, you will see a marked improvement in breathing, with shortness of breath decrease. You will notice that any cough begin to disappear, and you will not have as many colds or infections. In this first year, the risk of smoking-related heart attack is reduced, decreased by about half of women and men.
o Within three years, the same risk of heart attack smoking will more or less disappeared. The risk of developing a cancer is approximately the same as that of non-smokers after 10 years.
As you can see, the benefits for your body begin to appear almost instantly. Your body will begin to heal remarkably few hours left. The excuse, "Oh, I have smoked for many years now, there would be no advantage to give up now" has no merit. Just not true.
Therefore, if you have smoked for a year or 50 years, your body will be able to begin the healing process as you make the decision to quit. Making the decision will be difficult, and exit will be difficult, but the benefits to your health is worth it - as we shall see in the hours that decision. To answer the question posed at the beginning - "What happens when you stop smoking?" - Your body will reward you for working on repairing the damage that has been done, and allowing you to feel better than I have in years.
Anne Grey is a former smoker who understands how hard it is to quit smoking. It shows the best programs to stop smoking easily into place, dedicated to quit. Click the link below to see how you can quit smoking without withdrawal symptoms for help, step-by-step programs that guarantee results!