What happens in the body after you have quit smoking?

Do you think that it takes a long time for your body to begin recovering from smoking? Think again. Your body already begins recovering after 20 minutes. See the entire course of events here.

20 minutes – Your body already feels better

After just 20 minutes your blood pressure decreases and your pulse returns to normal. In other words, it doesn’t take longer than going out with the dog. Isn’t that great?

8 hours – Now the amount of poisonous carbon monoxide in your blood is halved

Carbon monoxide forces oxygen out of your blood so that your muscles and brain cannot get enough oxygen. In approximately one working day, your body has succeeded in cleaning out half of all the poisonous gas, carbon monoxide, out of your blood. Isn’t it nice to get rid of it? 😊

12 hours – Your carbon monoxide level is back to normal

Your body has succeeded in cleaning out all of the carbon monoxide! So, after just 12 hours you have already improved your health considerably. Well done! 👏

1 day – The risk of a heart attack decreases

It doesn’t take a long time to see significant positive effects from quitting smoking. The risk of you suffering from a heart attack already decreases after just one day. ♥ A risk that will continue to decrease in future during your smoke-free life.

2 days – Your sense of taste and smell return

If you have smoked for a long time, then perhaps you may have forgotten how good your favourite food tastes. Smoking leads to your sense of taste and smell decreasing, but after just two days without cigarettes these senses improve. So treat yourself to something good. 🥗 It is going to taste better!

3 days – Your lung capacity improves

Now it begins to become easier to breathe as the lung capacity increases once the lungs relax and begin opening up. You will now find that it is easier to exercise. Why not take a nice walk and celebrate three smoke-free days?

1 week – Now you are well on your way!

Your body now feels much better but, above all, you have also reached an important milestone! If you have made it a week without smoking, then your chances of succeeding in quitting completely are 9 times greater. Go you! 🎆

2 weeks – Your lung capacity increases dramatically

It is now easier to breathe, easier to walk and easier to exercise. Well, all physical activity is now easier – after two smoke-free weeks your lung capacity has significantly improved. Now you can really feel that your general health has improved. 💃

1 month – The cilia begin growing back

The cilia in your lungs are weakened by smoking, but have now gradually begun growing back. The cilia protect you against viruses and bacterial infections, plus they also help take away excess mucous in the lungs. If you cough up a lot of mucous at the moment, then this is why – but it is a positive thing! The lungs heal themselves.

3 months – Your body continues to recover

For each day that passes, your lungs continue to recover and your blood flow improves. The risk of a heart attack has decreased considerably from when you smoked your last cigarette. Fantastic!

9 months – The cilia are now fully restored

After 9 months as a non-smoker the risk for lung infections is significantly reduced. The cilia have now completely grown back and the lungs feel better than they have done for a very long time.

1 year – The risk of having a heart attack is now halved.

Yes! The risk of having a heart attack is now halved. Best of all is that the risk will continue to decrease over time.

3 years – The risk of having a heart attack is now the same as if you had never smoked

Yes, that’s true! The risk of you having a heart attack is now the same as for someone who has never smoked.

5 years – The risk of suffering from lung cancer is halved

Also, the risk of suffering from cervical cancer is now just as low as if you had never smoked. Even the risk of you suffering from a stroke decreases.
That knowledge is quite nice to have!

10 years – The risk of suffering from lung cancer is now the same as if you had never smoked

When you have been smoke-free for 10 years, the risk of suffering from lung cancer is the same as if you had never even lit that first cigarette. Isn’t that fantastic? You have also reduced the risk of suffering from other types of cancer, such as oral cancer, cancer of the oesophagus, cancer of the bladder, cancer of the kidneys or cancer of the pancreas.

15 years – In principle, fully recovered

The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease is now the same as if you had never smoked!