Your loved ones have begged you to give up cigarettes. Your doctor will push you to also. Your insurance company may even offer you a quitting smoking discount. The time has come, so keep reading for tips to help you quit smoking.
Support groups can be a great resource once you have firmly decided that you are ready to quit. There is much strength and reassurance in a group of like-minded folks who are all pushing towards the same goal and dealing with the same challenges. They will offer invaluable support and guidance, as well as insider tips that can help you quit. To find a support group near you, check your local community center or community college, or at your church.
Make sure you take the process one step at a time.Quitting is a long process. Take it one day at a time and as each day turns into another, which will help establish a habit that will help you over the long term.
Make sure that you get an ample amount of rest when you are quitting smoking. For many smokers, staying up late during the night gives them increased cigarette cravings. You may get tempted to sneak a cigarette while no one else is with you. If you get at least eight hours of sleep every night, it helps to stay focused and avoid cravings.
Come up with your own personalized plan for quitting. Making a customized list of things to try, can help you succeed at quitting. Each person will find methods which work for them, while they might not work for you. It is important for you to find something that will work for you. Making a list helps with that process.
By telling yourself to wait 10 minutes, you will usually avoid the craving. If it doesn’t work the first time, repeat the process as often as you need to.
If you just cannot give up cigarettes without the cravings overwhelming you, then get some extra help via products like nicotine patches or gum.
If you don’t think you can quit all at once, use nicotine gum or nicotine patches to help replace the nicotine you get from cigarettes. These products can be bought over the counter and give your body nicotine while you are breaking the habit. They are very helpful in reducing the withdrawal symptoms.
Secondhand smoke can affect the health issues. By quitting smoking, you not only improve your own health, you are helping the people around you as well.Quitting will make both you and everyone around you healthier.
Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. This helps to guide you down the right place to stop smoking. Try waiting at least one hour after you wake up before having your first cigarette for the day. You can smoke half a cigarette at a whole one to cut back on smoking.
Cravings seem to come most often when an individual is feeling stressed. To keep yourself from falling victim to this, find a healthy alternative for stress relief. Perhaps you could go to the gym during the time that your cravings are at their worst, or you could get a new hobby. When you’ve got down time, try to surround yourself with some pleasant distractions like going out with friends, playing games, or reading a book.
You’ve got the resources, the drive, and the means to quit; now it’s time to put them all together. Once you are a non-smoker, you’ll enjoy better health, increased mood, and a longer lifespan. Take all the funds you would have spent on tobacco and buy something nice for your family for all the support they give you–they deserve it!