In this article we’re going to outline the best way for you to successfully quit smoking this Stoptober, providing you with advice from our trusted experts.
With over 7 million deaths annually linked directly to smoking, the dangers are real and imminent. However, quitting even for 28 days can increase your life expectancy and begin the process of physical recovery. Yet, within these sombre statistics lies a silver lining, a beacon of hope; the human body, in its remarkable resilience, can start the process of repair and recovery the moment you quit smoking.
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Benefits of Quitting Smoking
The reasons why you should quit smoking are positively endless; and truthfully, if you're considering breaking the habit, you likely already know why you should.
There are a multitude of advantages to giving up cigarettes, both immediate and long-term, and these benefits are not only physiological, but also include your mental, emotional, and financial well-being.
Physical Advantages
The body begins its healing process the moment the last puff of smoke is expelled. Within 20 minutes, the heart rate and blood pressure return to normal, signalling the start of a systemic shift. In the weeks that follow, lung function improves, breathing becomes easier, and the bronchial tubes relax. After a year, the risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half, and the risk of stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker after five years.
The recovery of the senses is one of the most notable results of quitting smoking. The ability to taste and smell, which have often been dulled by the constant bombardment of smoke, begin to recover. Foods taste richer, scents become more distinct, and the world's sensory delights reveal themselves in all their intensity and variety. You may not have even realised that you were missing out on these things due to the fact that the deterioration of the senses whilst smoking is an incredibly subtle and gradual process - but thankfully the damage is fully reversible!
Changes to Mental and Emotional Well-being
The mental fortitude required to quit smoking translates into enhanced mental health. The journey, though challenging, instils a sense of accomplishment, boosting self-esteem and mental strength. Anxiety and depression, often exacerbated by smoking, begin to dissipate, unveiling a state of emotional equilibrium and well-being.
Financial Freedom
As you may already know, the financial freedom that comes with stopping smoking is enormous. The cost of cigarettes represents a huge financial drain each and every month. Quitting not only frees you from this ongoing expense, but it also offers up opportunities for financial investments, savings, and the ability to direct resources into pursuits that improve life quality and well-being - to put it simply, if you’re not spending a lot of money on tobacco or cigarettes you could instead focus on pursuing hobbies, improving your home, or treating yourself to a holiday as a reward for successfully quitting smoking!
A Legacy of Health
Quitting smoking will not only improve your own health, but it can also improve the health of your children, lowering their risk of respiratory illnesses, asthma, and smoking normalisation. It's a gift of a smoke-free environment, proof of the power of personal transformation, and a story of triumph over addiction.
Each cigarette not smoked is a step closer to a life of improved health, vitality, independence, and the profound, often overlooked delight of unrestrained, unburdened breaths.
How to Successfully Stop Smoking
Medical professionals, such as the NHS, advocate for a combination of behavioural strategies and substitution to enhance the success rate of quitting.
With the help of our experts, we’ve put together a series of steps that we believe could help you in your journey to combat your cravings and stop smoking.
Step 1: Mental Preparation
The first step in your journey towards a healthier, cigarette-free life is to mentally prepare yourself. There are going to be difficult days ahead, but you have to power through them and remind yourself of all the reasons as to why you have decided that you want to stop smoking - as well as the benefits of giving up cigarettes.
Step 2: Take it a Day at a Time
Stopping the use of an addictive substance is not an easy undertaking, and there are going to be days where it feels like a monumental task - but it IS possible, and you CAN do it. Just take it one day at a time, and if you fall off the wagon and end up smoking a cigarette or two, don't beat yourself up over it.
Putting yourself under too much pressure is unhealthy and can lead to unnecessary stress. This stress could then cause your Nicotine cravings to intensify, making things more difficult in the long-term - remember that every journey starts with a single step.
Step 3: Learn to Manage and Overcome your Cravings
Nicotine cravings are one of the biggest hurdles to overcome for those who've recently quit cigarettes or cut back on their tobacco use - but there are multiple ways to conquer your cravings!
Alternatives to Smoking:
Vaping
Vaping is unequivocally one of the best alternatives to smoking thus far; it's proven 95% safer than smoking tobacco and doesn't cause any of the harmful health problems associated with cigarettes and tobacco usage.
Vaping will give you a similar sensation to smoking, but allows you to control your Nicotine intake and reduce it gradually - increasing your chances of successfully quitting smoking!
Although there are a multitude of different vape kits available, we’d highly recommend disposable vapes due to their simplistic style, wide availability and high-nicotine content.
Although if you’re looking to exert more control over your nicotine intake and would prefer to gradually reduce your nicotine, you might be better off using a Vape Starter Kit, which allows you to fill it with your own vape liquid and adjust settings as you please.
There are many different types of vape kit, but it’s been proven that substituting your method of nicotine consumption can help to reduce your cravings and increase your chance of stopping smoking.
Nicotine Patches
Nicotine patches are another alternative to smoking, as they gradually release nicotine into your system. Although nicotine patches can potentially cause skin irritation and soreness, as it's possible for you to be allergic to some of the ingredients they contain, such as the adhesives.
Chewing Gum
Chewing Gum can help you curb your cravings, but isn't necessarily the best option if you want to protect your teeth. Chewing Gum can contain a lot of sugar which can increase the risk of tooth decay, or exacerbate existing dental problems.
Step 4: Develop a New Routine
Breaking a habit can be hard - but by developing a new routine you can make the process much easier. For instance if you're used to waking up and having a cigarette with your morning coffee before your breakfast, switch things up a little by having your breakfast before your coffee! It might sound silly, but it's been proven to be super effective!
When you stick to a routine, your brain begins to expect certain things at specific times, for instance if you usually have your first coffee at 7am, you'll find that you begin to crave caffeine around this time; this is because your brain has come to expect it. So by changing up your routine you can avoid this scenario and tame your Nicotine cravings!
Step 5: Monitor your Money
Smoking is an expensive habit, and it's only going to get more expensive as tax is raised each year. With the current Cost of Living Crisis, it's more important than ever to cut back on unnecessary expenses, and in this case you can do that but cutting back on smoking, or quitting cigarettes entirely. If ever you feel tempted to start up again, think about how much money you've saved by making the switch; or better yet, keep track of how much you would have spent if you still smoked! You'd be surprised how quickly it all adds up.
Step 6: Goals and Aspirations
Having something to look forward to and focus on such as a goal or aspiration can really help during this time as it keeps your mind occupied and distracts you from any potential nicotine cravings.
Having a goal or aspiration to work towards can also help keep you focused on your future and what you want to achieve, rather than your past and what you've left behind.
Can you Stop Smoking by Going Cold Turkey?
Can you stop smoking "cold turkey"? Whilst it's certainly possible to stop smoking this way, it does take an immeasurable amount of willpower and perseverance to do this, as suddenly depriving your body of something that it's addicted to can have some unpleasant consequences that can push some individuals back towards smoking.
Gradual Cessation, such as cutting down the amount of cigarettes you smoke or replacing the method by which you acquire your Nicotine is a much better method or quitting as it puts less strain on you both physically and mentally.
What Does Quitting Smoking Do to Your Body?
What happens to your body when you stop smoking? One of the first things that you will experience is withdrawal symptoms; these can range from nausea, irritability, constipation, night sweats and a loss of appetite. However these symptoms are temporary and will likely last approximately a week before lessening.
You'll also find that due to the fact that nicotine is a stimulant, your blood pressure may become lower as you stop smoking. You should notice that the longer you go without smoking, the easier you will find breathing as your lungs will begin to clear themselves of built up tar - although expect to temporarily develop a cough as your body rids itself of these irritants.
Embrace Stoptober
Let this Stoptober be your turning point, your moment of transcendence from the shackles of smoking. Every individual has within them the power to rewrite their narrative, to turn the pages of their story from one of addiction and constraint to one of liberation and boundless potential.
You are not alone in this journey. A world of support, resources, and community awaits, ready to walk this path with you. Every challenge, every triumph, every moment of weakness, and every victory is shared, amplified by the collective energy of millions embarking on this journey - and know that Grey Haze will support you every step of the way - if you have any questions you can contact us via email or pop into one of our stores.
Ready to stop smoking and make the switch to vaping? Explore our varied collection of Vape Kits and Pod Vape Kits to discover a companion to help you through your smoking cessation journey.
