3 Reasons To Quit Smoking Now

Are You Still Smoking: Here’s Why You Should Quit Now

Smoking has been banned in so many places, you may feel like an outcast if you’re still sneaking out for a smoke. Once seen as a healthy habit, with cigarettes even being prescribed by medical professionals, society today has a far more comprehensive understanding of the dangers of smoking.

As research has revealed strong links to serious medical conditions, there has been a gradual decline in tobacco use since the turn of the century. In fact, in the U.S. alone, there was a greater than 9% decrease in the number of adult smokers between 2005 and 2021. So, why are we seeing more people choose to quit, and how might kicking the habit benefit your life? Here are three reasons you should consider quitting now.

Quit Smoking To Look And Feel Better

Smoking has a profound effect on both your physical health and your appearance. Even in small quantities, cigarettes have been strongly linked to a higher risk of different cancers, including lung, mouth and throat. Other illnesses related to smoking include cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which can also be life-threatening.

As well as harming the inside of your body, smoking will also affect how you look. In particular, cigarettes can cause significant skin damage, giving a grayer appearance while also increasing the risk of wrinkles. You’ll also likely notice changes to your hair, teeth and nails. However, these changes aren’t inherently irreversible; quitters are likely to notice a healthier appearance within just a few weeks of their last cigarette.

Quit Smoking To Improve Your Health

Cigarettes can often be seen as a means to relieve stress or reduce anxiety in the short term. And while nicotine can make you temporarily feel more relaxed, in the long term, research suggests that smoking can actually increase feelings of anxiety and tension. When a smoker goes a long time without a cigarette and withdrawal symptoms start to kick in, they generally experience feelings of heightened anxiety.

Although smoking can relieve this anxiety, it is the habit itself that’s caused the feeling in the first place. Breaking this cycle is important to promote better mental health in the long run.

This can be achieved by replacing unhealthy coping mechanisms (like smoking) with more healthy lifestyle habits that support your wellbeing, rather than cause such profound fluctuations in mood. According to the NHS in the UK, it can take less than 6 weeks for quitters to start to feel the mental health benefits of stopping smoking.

Quit Smoking To Benefit Loved Ones

When quitting, you’re taking positive steps to actively improve your own wellbeing, both physically and mentally. Leading a healthier lifestyle means you’re more likely to be able to offer better support for your friends and family and, most importantly, you’ll be reducing the likelihood of chronic illnesses stopping you from being able to care for others later in life.

In addition, secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard to the people around you. It causes 41,000 deaths every year, and children are particularly susceptible to the impacts it can have. Even if you make a conscious effort not to smoke directly around children, cancer-causing residue can cling to surfaces and build up over time, presenting a secondary threat to their health.

Here’s How To Quit Smoking

The quitting timeline can vary drastically between smokers, but research suggests it can take some people 30 or more attempts before successfully stopping for good. While it’s a difficult addiction to overcome, the benefits to doing so are clear; start taking back control of your and your family’s health by taking positive steps to quit smoking.