Ok I quit around December.I want to know how long it takes for your body to go back to normal after you quit smoking? Because sometimes I get shortness of breath
I started smoking at 15 I’m 22 now but when I smoke it wasn’t everyday it was off & on n I would quit for a while.
Here the over time benefits when you quit smoking :
20 minutes after quitting:
Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
12 hours after quitting:
The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2 weeks to 3 months after quitting:
Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
1 to 9 months after quitting:
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
1 year after quitting:
The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
5 years after quitting:
Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
10 years after quitting:
The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.
15 years after quitting:
The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker’s.
It depends how long you’ve been smoking for. If it’s been most of your life, most likely the damage is done, and it won’t go back. Smoking destroys your lungs and the plaque that builds up doesn’t go away.
When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.
At 20 minutes after quitting:
•blood pressure decreases
•pulse rate drops
•body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
•carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
•oxygen level in blood increases to normal
At 24 hours:
•chance of a heart attack decreases
At 48 hours:
•nerve endings start regrowing
•ability to smell and taste is enhanced
The first year after quitting:
At 2 weeks to 3 months:
•circulation improves
•walking becomes easier
•lung function increases
1 to 9 months:
•coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
•excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker
Long-term Benefits of Quitting
At 5 years:
•from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
At 10 years:
•risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
•risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
•risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
•risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
•risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
Wow! You couldn’t possibly get a more comprehensive and thoughtful answer than the one Notalone with cancer took the time to type. All the more reasons to quit the things. Best wishes to you and congratulations on quitting!
Heck if I know.
Thing is shortness of breath is more of a trained reaction. Your body has gotten used to not getting enough clean air, so it compensated with short puffs.
You have to retrain it to breath effectively.
Good breathing exercises are:
1) breath in as deep as you can, expanding your chest as far as it will go, hold for 1 second and then take a quick inhale one more time.
2) Release rapidly, blow out the air as if trying to keep a feather in the air, flatten your chest and stomach as you release.
3) pant, breath in and then out quickly for the count of 3.
4) Repeat 1-4 about 5 times
STOP if you get light headed, dizzy, or anything turns weird colors.
Retry after 15 minutes of normal breathing.
Do this exercise 5-6 times a day, especially when you are short of breath.
Also helps with asthma.