Three practical benefits to stopping smoking
It's no secret that smoking is a difficult habit to break. As something that many people find comforting, plus the biological addictive qualities of nicotine, it takes a huge amount of willpower to commit to stopping smoking. Sometimes, knowing the practical benefits of quitting can help build the motivation to take the first step. If you’re thinking about giving up, here are three practical benefits to kicking the habit.
Save money
One of the first things you may notice when you stop buying cigarettes is the money you’ll save. With the average cost of a pack of cigarettes between $5.25 - $12.85, smoking ten a day is going to be costing you around $1,916.25 to $4,690.25 every year. As you make the positive choice to not buy cigarettes, why not save the money instead? By the end of the year, you could take a holiday or treat yourself to celebrate your new, healthier lifestyle.
The health implications of smoking also cause smokers to pay 15 - 20% more on their monthly health insurance premiums than non-smokers. Of course, any treatment not covered in your health plan can cost thousands of dollars, and smoking makes you more likely to suffer serious health issues such as heart disease and cancer.
Live longer
When you stop smoking, your body begins to recover surprisingly quickly. From only a few days after your last cigarette, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood will return to normal. After a few weeks, your circulation will improve and your lung function will begin to increase. One year on, the cilia in your airways can function properly again, helping to boost your immunity and keeping your lungs clean.
While half of long-term smokers will die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses, the sooner you quit the better your chances of living a long, healthy life. As your risk of heart attack drops and your cardiovascular system heals, you should feel fitter and have more stamina when exercising and moving around in your daily life.
Fight signs of aging
It isn’t a myth that smoking accelerates signs of aging – but you may be surprised at how reversible many of the physical side effects are when you quit. Nicotine negatively affects skin cell turnover, as it reduces blood flow and starves the deeper layers of your skin of oxygen. This makes it harder for new skin cells to be produced and causes a dry, dull appearance. Once you quit smoking, your skin will massively improve in just a few weeks.
The harmful chemicals in cigarettes also starve the body of vital nutrients which are essential for keeping the skin plump and dewy. Vitamin C absorption and collagen production both return to normal levels within months of quitting, helping to repair shallow wrinkles and fine lines. Smokers often have a gray appearance to their skin, but as your body heals after stopping smoking, this is often one of the first things that improves.
Start feeling better today
When you are contemplating quitting smoking, it’s understandable to feel a mix of emotions. You’re likely to feel nervous, anxious and a little unsure about whether or not you will cope without smoking. But as you notice these encouraging practical benefits growing each day, you’re sure to be spurred on by how great you feel without nicotine.
