Health Tips

One of the most important factors in becoming an ex smoker is learning how to cope with nicotine withdrawal after two to three weeks without cigarettes.  Part of kicking the habit is going to include the nasty effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Nicotine is a tough thing to quit because it affects your body in so many different ways, but you can learn to make dependence on it a thing of the past. Withdrawal symptoms are very common when quitting smoking, but not all smokers are affected to the same degree and in the same ways.  Some will feel the withdrawal symptoms more severely than others, but generally the symptoms will only last a few days and will be gone within three weeks.

Following are some common symptoms and ideas for dealing with the nicotine withdrawal until it passes.

* Headaches, occasional indigestion, sore throat or diarrhea can be dealt with using over the counter medications
* Insomnia can be an issue for some quitters.  Since you’ve stopped the nicotine, any caffeine that you consume is absorbed that much more readily by your body.  Try drinking fewer caffeinated beverages, or perhaps drink caffeine free ones.
* Coughing is often an indication that the cilia lining your lungs are cleaning out tar and mucus. This should pass fairly quickly, leaving you able to breathe more easily.
* Anxiety, depression and irritability are symptoms of the nicotine leaving your body.  These symptoms can often be lessened by deep breathing exercises, listening to your favorite music, or taking long walks.  These symptoms will begin to lessen after one to three weeks.
* Some people have noted that they gain weight because of an increased appetite after quitting smoking.  The average person will gain 4 to 10 pounds after giving up cigarettes, however some may gain up to 25 to 30 pounds.  Those who smoked more, tend to gain more, however you should lose any weight you’ve gained after being smoke free for six months.  You can prepare for this tendency by putting together a healthy eating and exercise plan.
* You might feel tired and have a problem with concentrating for the few weeks following your quit day.  Have a plan in place to deal with this problem by taking time to relax more, and take short walks to help you to refocus.  If you can, lighten your workload at home and at work for at least the first week  to help with your body’s withdrawal symptoms.
* By far, the biggest problem that people have after giving up smoking is the cravings.  It is a rare smoker who can give up their habit without facing the urge to smoke.  It is vital that you get through them to reach your goal.  Face your cravings head on.  Use your will power to get through those cravings by reminding yourself why you wanted to quit in the first place.  Always have your goal, and your reasons handy for when the urge hits.  The cravings will only last for 3 to 5 minutes and they will start to fade. Success breeds success.  With each craving you get through, you will feel stronger and more ready for the next one.

If you continue to follow the road map you’ve set out for yourself,  it won’t be very long until you can tell someone “No thanks, I don’t smoke.”