Recovery Times – What Happens After the Last Cigarette?
After less than 30 minutes of smoking your last cigarette:
- Pulse returns to normal.
- Blood pressure drops down to normal.
- Temperature of hands and feet increase to normal.
Ater 8 hours:
- Blood’s oxygen level returns to normal.
- Carbon monoxide level in blood decreases to normal.
After 24 hours:
- Risk of heart attack decreases.
After 48 hours:
- Sense of smell and taste increase.
- Nerve endings begin regrowth.
After 72 hours:
- Breathing becomes easier after bronchial tubes relax.
- Lung capacity increases.
After 2 weeks to 3 months:
- Lung ability increases by as much as 30%.
- Circulation improves.
- Walking is easier.
After 1 to 9 months:
- Body’s energy level increases
- Lungs increase their ability to handle mucus, reduce infection and clean themselves.
- Sinus congestion, coughing, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease.
After 5 years:
- Death rate because of lung cancer decreases about 50% for the average, one-pack-a-day smoker.
After 10 years:
- Death rate from lung cancer becomes about equal to that of non-smokers. risks for other cancers (mouth, larynx, pancreas, bladder, kidney and esophagus) decrease.
- Pre-cancerous cells are replaced.
NOTE: “Normal” refers to what was an average level for you before smoking your last cigarette, depending on your fitness level and other factors.
