5 Tips to Help Quit Smoking

Did you know smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia? Even if you have tried over and over to quit smoking, it is never too late to quit.

Here, we’ll look at the benefits of quitting smoking and 5 of the best tips to help quit smoking so you can improve your health and wellness and take back control of your life.

Why Smoking Is Bad for You

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Australia. Tobacco smoke is loaded with over 7,000 harmful chemicals, many of which increase your risk of stroke, cancer, heart disease, and other health problems.

Smoking has negative effects on almost every organ in the body, making quitting smoking one of the best things you can do to improve your health.

The Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is notoriously difficult, but the benefits of quitting smoking can be felt both immediately after you quit and over the long term.

Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, you can start experiencing an improvement in your health. With time, dramatic improvements to your health occur.

Here’s a timeline of the benefits of quitting smoking:

• 20 Minutes – Decreased resting heart rate (an indicator of your overall level of fitness)
• 12 Hours – Improved blood oxygen levels, reduced carbon monoxide in the body, a vast reduction in the amount of nicotine in your body
• 5 Days – Nicotine almost completely out of the body, improved sense of taste and smell
• 2 to 12 Weeks – Reduced risk of heart attack, improved circulation, improved lung function, less difficulty exercising
• 1 to 9 Months – Less coughing, decrease in feeling short of breath, blood pressure starts returning to normal, improved immune function, decreased phlegm production
• 1 Year – Decreased risk of heart disease
• 5 Years – Reduced risk of stroke, throat cancer, and mouth cancer
• 10 Years – Decreased risk of developing lung cancer (by about half), decreased chance of developing kidney, bladder, or pancreatic cancer

It isn’t just your health that improves by quitting smoking. Additional benefits of quitting smoking include:

• Reduce second-hand smoke exposure to your friends and family
• Save money (up to thousands of dollars each year)
• No longer having to step outside during work, meetings, dinners, or conversations to have a cigarette

5 Tips on How to Quit Smoking

Some individuals will find it more difficult to quit smoking than others. Show yourself grace along the way and keep trying. Many times, it can take several attempts to successfully quit smoking.

There are many resources to support you along the way. Consider enlisting the help of friends and family to keep you encouraged and hold you accountable as you quit smoking.

It also helps to pinpoint the reasons you want to quit. Whether you want to live longer, age better, or have more energy to run around with your kids, figure out your “why” for quitting smoking to help keep you motivated.

Here are 5 of the best tips to help quit smoking.

1. Use a Reward System

Consider rewarding yourself for milestones when you quit smoking. Set time frames and days where you can enjoy a reward when you reach that mark of no smoking (i.e one day of no smoking, two days, a week, a month, etc.). Rewards can increase as you reach each milestone.

There are even online calculators that let you figure out exactly how much money you’ll save smoking. Consider using this money to reward yourself with something fun.

2. Hypnosis

There are many potential benefits of hypnotherapy, including help for quitting smoking.

Hypnosis to quit smoking can help address the root cause of your addiction and equip you with the tools needed to live a smoke-free life.

Hypnosis to quit smoking is a safe and drug-free approach to easing the irritability, nicotine cravings, and withdrawal symptoms that often accompany the quitting process. Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation can help bring about lasting change and long-term success all in a safe, drug-free manner. A Clinical Hypnotherapist can give you the tools needed to empower you to quit smoking for good.

On average, patients require just one 2-hour session to quit smoking. Hypnosis to quit smoking works by reframing the subconscious mind to shift thinking patterns that control our daily thoughts and choices. By doing so, individuals can gain deep insight and take power over their conscious minds to opt for healthier choices.

3. Get Active

Exercise is a powerful, effective way to curb nicotine cravings and reduce withdrawal symptoms as you give up cigarettes. Better yet, extra physical activity can help prevent weight gain when you quit smoking.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean running for 30 minutes straight on the treadmill.

Get creative and find an activity that you enjoy and look forward to, such as:

• Walking your dog
• Gardening and pulling weeds
• Rock climbing
• Hiking with a friend
• Inline skating
• Jogging on the beach
• Swimming
• Mountain biking
• Group dance classes
• Yoga or Pilates
• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts
• Jumping on a mini-trampoline

4. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Many people find that the nicotine in cigarettes helps them relax. This means you’ll need new methods to unwind once you quit.

Here are some natural ways to feel more relaxed as you quit smoking:

• Listen to your favourite music
• Practice self-care (a hot bath, a massage, etc.)
• Make time for your favourite hobbies
• Avoid stressful situations as much as possible, especially during the first few weeks of quitting
• Spend time with friends
• Catch up on your favourite tv shows
• Practice yoga
• Learn meditation or deep breathing techniques
• Spend more time in nature (i.e take a walk on a hiking trail, have your coffee or tea outside in the morning, watch the sunset, etc.)

5. Avoid Potential Triggers

Certain habits and actions can trigger your urge to have a cigarette. To help you quit smoking, pay attention to these triggers and try to limit or avoid them entirely.

Here are some areas to pay attention to:

• Do you find that drinking alcohol increases your urge to smoke? If so, limit your alcohol intake, especially when you are first trying to quit.
• Do you have a cigarette with your coffee every morning? Try switching to tea for the first few weeks as you try to quit.
• Do you smoke after meals? Choose another habit instead (i.e. taking a walk, brushing your teeth, chewing gum, having a cup of tea, talking with a friend)
• When you decide to quit, toss any lighters and ashtrays
• Upon quitting, wash anything that smells like smoke (drapes, carpets, sheets, clothes, upholstery)
• Use air fresheners or candles to help get rid of any lingering smoke smells
• If you smoked in your car, give it a thorough cleaning

Want to Learn More About Hypnosis to Quit Smoking?

Want to see if Hypnotherapy can help you quit smoking? Book a FREE 15-Minute Clarity Call with me and I would be happy to discuss how to quit smoking hypnosis works and how it can help you quit smoking for good.

As a licensed and certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, with a specialty in quitting smoking, I am here to equip you with the tools needed to quit smoking. Whether it’s your first time or your tenth time trying to quit smoking, I would love to help you achieve a smoke-free life and take control of your health and wellness.