Health benefits

Every hour, day, week, month and year that you go without smoking, your health will improve.

You will feel immediate benefits when you quit as your body starts to repair itself. Quitting at any age is beneficial and does not only increase life expectancy; it also improves quality of life.

8 hours
  • Nicotine will start to leave your body.
  • Your heart rate and blood pressure will begin to return to normal.
  • The level of oxygen in your blood will start to increase.
12 hours
  • There will be almost no nicotine remaining in your body.
24 hours
  • The level of carbon monoxide in your blood will have dropped dramatically.
3-5 days
  • Your sense of taste and smell will improve.
  • You will feel and sleep better.
  • Your breath, clothes and hair will smell fresher.
1-6 months
  • Your immune system will begin to show signs of recovery.
  • You will experience less shortness of breath and be able to exercise more easily.
  • Your lungs will no longer be producing extra phlegm caused by smoking.
  • Your blood pressure level will return to normal.
  • Your blood circulation will improve and blood will flow more easily to hands and feet.
  • The cilia in your lungs will have recovered to efficiently clean your lungs and airways.
1 year
  • Your risk of dying from coronary heart disease will be half that of a continuing smoker.
5 years
  • Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus will be half that of a continuing smoker.
10 years
  • Your risk of lung cancer will be less than half that of a continuing smoker.
15 years
  • Your risk of dying from any cause will be almost the same as that of a person who has never smoked.

 

Remember, you don't have to quit smoking alone. We're here to support you with a range of free services.
Don't give up, Quit.