Smoking Timeline

A HUFFINGTON POST UK GRAPHIC HUFFPOST UK LIFESTYLE SMOKING TIMELINE WITHIN 20 MINUTES: YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE, BODY TEMPERATURE AND PULSE RATE WILL DROP TO NORMAL. WITHIN 8 HOURS: THAT DELIGHTFUL SMOKER'S BREATH DISAPPEARS, THE CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL IN YOUR BLOOD DROPS (YES, THIS IS THE SAME CHEMICAL YOUR CAR PRODUCES AS A WASTE PRODUCT) AND THE OXYGEN LEVEL RISES TO NORMAL. WITHIN 24 HOURS: WELL DONE! YOUR CHANCE OF A HEART ATTACK DECREASES. WITHIN 48 HOURS: YOUR NERVE ENDINGS START TO REGROUP. YOUR ABILITY TO TASTE AND SMELL IMPROVES. FOR YOUR TASTEBUDS, IT'S LIKE SWITCHING FROM BLACK AND WHITE TO TECHNICOLOUR. WITHIN 3 DAYS: BREATHING IS EASIER FOR YOU. FINALLY YOU CAN RUN WITHOUT WHEEZING. WITHIN 2 TO 3 MONTHS: YOUR CIRCULATION IMPROVES. WALKING BECOMES EASIER. YOUR LUNG CAPACITY INCREASES UP TO 30%. WITHIN 1 TO 9 MONTHS: SINUS CONGESTIONAND SHORTNESS OF BREATH DECREASE, CILIA THAT SWEEP DEBRIS FROM YOUR LUNGS GROW BACK, INCREASING YOUR LUNGS' ABILITY TO HANDLE MUCUS, CLEAN THE LUNGS, AND REDUCE INFECTION. YOUR ENERGY INCREASES. WITHIN 1 YEAR: YOUR EXCESS RISK OF CORONARY DISEASE IS HALF THAT OF A PERSON WHO SMOKES. WITHIN 2 YEARS: YOUR HEART ATTACK RISK DROPS TO NEAR NORMAL. WITHIN 5 YEARS: LUNG CANCER DEATH RATE FOR THE AVERAGE FORMER PACK A-DAY SMOKER DECREASES BY ALMOST HALF. YOUR RISK OF HAVING A STROKE REDUCES. YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING MOUTH, THROAT, AND ESOPHAGEAL CANCER IS HALF THAT OF A SMOKER. WITHIN 10 YEARS: LUNG CANCER DEATH RATE IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF A PERSON WHO DOES NOT SMOKE. THE PRECANCEROUS CELLS ARE REPLACED. WITHIN 15 YEARS: YOUR RISK OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE IS THE SAME AS A PERSON WHO HAS NEVER SMOKED. Source(s): Words - Poorna Bell 1) http://stopsmoking.stanford.edulfacts.html Design - Mike Messina HUFFPOST.CO.UK HuffPost UK