What happens to your body when you stop smoking? A doctor breaks down the recovery timeline

Thinking of quitting smoking? Here’s what happens inside your body when you stop losing weight.

Choosing to stop smoking is among the most important choices that a person ever makes. The process of the body healing itself begins just moments after quitting smoking. While recovery is a slow process, the body starts making the first positive changes minutes or hours after quitting, and this helps to lower the risks for developing diseases. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Aravind Badiger, Technical Director, BDR Pharmaceuticals, decodes how your body reacts mentally and physically when you take deliberate steps to lose weight.

Physiological changes (minutes to weeks)

According to Dr Aravind, immediately stopping smoking results in rapid physiological changes in one’s body:

20 minutes: Heart rate and blood pressure start normalising.

12 hours: Carbon monoxide decreases, and oxygen levels increase.

24-72 hours: Bronchial tubes begin relaxing, which makes breathing easier.

2-12 weeks: Circulation and lung functioning improve.

Immediately stopping smoking results in rapid physiological changes in one’s body. (Pexel)

Dr Aravind said, “These rapid changes show how the body immediately reacts to toxic cessation. Long-time smokers’ hearts begin receiving less strain unexpectedly quickly. It shows the ability of our body to recover after the cessation of smoking.”

Recovery and lowering disease risk (months to years)

Further abstention from smoking for months or years leads to the following recovery and lowering of the risk of diseases:

1 year: The risk of developing coronary heart disease significantly decreases.

5 years: The risk of having a stroke becomes substantially lower because of the recovery of blood vessels.

10 years: The probability of getting lung cancer dramatically lowers in comparison with active smokers.

15 years: The risk of heart disease becomes close to that of a non-smoker’s body.

All of these positive results prove that quitting does not only mean avoiding negative effects on your body; it also allows for reversing damage in the long term.

The long-term benefits, such as lower risks of cancer, heart attack and stroke, make up for any discomfort that might occur in the short run. (Unsplash)

Nicotine withdrawal and lung healing

In the early days of quitting smoking, the brain adapts to the lack of nicotine, which is a drug that the body gets used to for some time. Consequently, people going through this process will experience various withdrawal symptoms such as strong urges to smoke again, mood swings, irritability, increased anxiety levels, inability to concentrate, change in sleep pattern, and alterations in eating behaviour. Yet, on the other hand, recovery of the respiratory system starts at this point. Tiny hair structures in the lungs (cilia) become active again and begin to remove toxic substances along with the accumulated mucus.

Why does quitting make sense?

Dr Aravind highlighted that smoking cessation triggers a series of healing mechanisms that influence nearly every bodily system in a positive way. Although symptoms related to nicotine withdrawal can be tough, they are temporary and manageable through proper counselling and, when needed, nicotine therapy. The long-term benefits, such as lower risks of cancer, heart attack and stroke, make up for any discomfort that might occur in the short run.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.