Your Improving Health
Did you know that your health reaps benefits in less than half an hour after you quit smoking? Hover your mouse over each of the time sequences below to learn what is happening in your body when you leave tobacco behind for good.
How Quitting Affects Your Body Within...
20 MinutesPeople whose vital signs were high from only smoking may see their blood pressure, pulse and body temperature return to normal. Those taking blood pressure medicines should continue doing so until told otherwise by their physician.
8 hoursYour body starts to heal itself. The carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in your blood drop to normal.
24 hoursYour chance of heart attack goes down.
48 hoursNerve endings start re-growing and your ability to taste and smell improves.
72 hoursYour bronchial tubes relax, lung capacity goes up, and breathing becomes easier.
From 2 weeks to 3 monthsYour circulation and lung function gets better and walking is easier.
From 1 to 9 monthsCilia re-grow in your lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucous, clean your lungs and reduce infection. Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease and your body's overall energy level increases.
5 yearsYour chances of dying from lung cancer go down by almost 50%. The lung cancer death rate for the average smoker goes down from 137 per 100,000 people to 72 per 100,000 people.
10 yearsYour chances of dying from lung cancer death are about the same as for nonsmokers. The average rate for nonsmokers is about 12 per 100,000. Your chances of getting cancer of the throat, stomach, bladder, kidney, or pancreas also go down to average.
Source: American Cancer Society
